#streams specifically because there are a lot of streams with the two of them and I dont have the time to watch them all

[airas-story]

I'm not really a "omg this is his/her/their song!" type of person, which is why I was completely thrown by surprise when I heard this song (live, too!) and suddenly thought, "Well, shit, that is Stephen and Tony." It wasn't the first time I heard the song at all, it just happened to be the live concert that brought the thought.

Hopefully the link goes through to the lyric video: https://youtu.be/ydWYlx8wexg?si=KvWdvUvpbmSxHGUb

If it does not, look up Last of the Real Ones from Fall Out Boy.

It's specifically the verses and bridge (and yeah, the therapist line lmao) that call out to me. Verse 1 sounds like Stephen to Tony, verse 2 opposite, and the bridge either/both. But that's just my thought. I'd love some sort of prose based on the whole vibe of this song. Any section, any genre, literal or figurative, it's really about the *vibes*. And I figure that might be an interesting prompt for you that also allows a lot of creative freedom. Hope you have fun!

Okay, so I really do love this song. And I swear, after you sent it in, it kept popping up. My playlist, on streaming, with my sister. You name it, it showed up. The problem... I had so many ideas, some of which were very much off the wall. Deciding was a problem. The one I ended up with wasn't quite where I expected to go with it, though. Still, I hope you enjoy.

“You know, I one time told the Avengers that the reason we fought was so one day we didn’t have to fight, so that one day we could go home.”

Stephen looked over at Tony where they sat side by side on a glass hovercraft, alongside the ocean and looking out into the city. The street lights shone down a faint red, leaving the night sky so much more visible than Stephen remembered it being when he’d first moved to New York what felt like several lifetimes ago. 

“Been a long time since either of us have had to fight,” Stephen said. And it was true. Between science and magic they’d strengthened the dimensional and atmospheric barriers keeping out those that would hurt them; with diplomacy and outreach they’d strengthened relations, both with other dimensions and alien planets; with a mix of all four the world itself had started to know something close to a Utopia. Stephen didn’t dare call anything Utopia, because everything could get better.

“Funny then, isn’t it, that we fought the fight so we could go home and…”

Stephen understood. What home did they have to go to? They were the last of the world of superheroes, a dying breed of a bygone age. The world didn’t need them anymore, not in that capacity. And it was a reason for sheer joy. 

But where did a pair of immortals go, when their duty was done?

“You know,” Stephen said. “That last alien ambassador claimed they could use a few scientists to spread our findings on resource replenishment.”

“There’s already a team in place,” Tony mused. “But I’m sure there’s room for two more. And then that one dimension—what is it, the Glish dimension?—has been hosting decade-long seminars to share knowledge. Their magic is different from yours, you can never know too much.”

“There’s more than just a whole new world,” Stephen said. “We’ve got an infinity of them.”

They’d saved their world, helped and aided, and then stepped back as the world had risen up to help itself. They weren’t meant to be saviors anymore. Stephen wasn’t sure what they were meant to be and that was fine. 

Everything ended, even, perhaps, infinity. Stephen didn’t know if that was how long he and Tony had, neither of them did, but this era of their lives had ended. Time to begin a new one.

[tubbytarchia]

I'm making a "Jimmy and Joel being very normal" compilation because I've always had a need to share with the world how long that compilation would be and if no one else is gonna do it then I will. It's 32 minutes long so far. If you have even the vaguest of memories of some rarer moments from streams that people havent talked about before please feel free to inbox me about it

[hopefullhearts]

Sickeningly Sweet [Scott Miller x Reader - Twisters]

summary: You are Tyler Owens' childhood best friend and member of his storm chasing crew. A storm outbreak means you and the gang cross paths with Storm Par on more than one occasion, and your sweet southern charm drives Scott crazy (in more than one way).

content warnings: somewhat heated kissing, no use of y/n, light name-calling/teasing, not proofread/bad writing (I have not written a fanfic in forever), bad taste in candy, & i think that is all!

word count: 3.5k

a/n: I have not written or posted on tumblr in SO long but I saw Twisters for the glenn powell craze and left with a scott/david corenswet obsession and these thoughts must come out of my head.

Shoutout to @hederasgarden and @sailor-aviator for leading the charge for the Scott girlies. All of their writings and drabbles inspired me to write this one, so check them out!

If people like this I might do a smutty part 2! I don't mind writing smut I just feel like it's not very good hahaha but let me know what you think!

--

You heavily resented the idea that guys and girls could not just be friends, because you'd be damned if Tyler Owens wasn't the best friend you ever had.

You met on the playground in Kindergarten. A boy pushed you off a swing, Tyler defended your honor, and the rest was history.

Tyler's overprotective streak made you view him like the brother you never had, and that's how your relationship remained. He was family, and that was that.

Tyler had always been interested in tornadoes, more specifically, how to track and predict them. You, on the other hand, hated science, including weather, but you loved the thrill of the chase.

In college, you studied marketing while Tyler studied meteorology. So, when Tyler had the idea to start streaming his storm chases, you were right there with him to help grow his brand.

Tyler knows he would be stupid not to credit you with all his success. You set up his streaming account, you edited all the clips and drone footage to post to his social media after the fact, and you even gave him the idea for the "Tornado Wrangler" nickname.

Now that everything was off the ground, you mostly put together streaming highlights and designed the merch, but you were right there in the backseat for every single chase, soaking up all the thrills.

This particular storm outbreak was expected to be a big one, so the whole crew strapped in for a week of bad weather, cheap motel rooms, and of course, a few run-ins with other chasers, including the guys from Storm Par.

"Storm Par's here." You said, gesturing to the fleet of white vans parked at the gas station you had just pulled up to.

"Of course they are." Tyler sighed. "There's probably going to be a lot of damage done by these storms for them to swoop in on. Just ignore them."

"No, we should be polite." You chastised him. "I'm gonna go say hi. Will you get me a cherry coke please?"

Tyler fought back an eye-roll, but nodded with a smile as you both got out of the car. "Of course."

Like everyone else in the crew, the Storm Par guys got on your last nerve. They were all a bunch of Ivy League grads who thought a more expensive degree made them better than everyone else.

However, being raised by your Mama, the epitome of Southern grace and charm, you always put a smile on your face and treated them with kindness. You even occasionally brought them food or coffee if you ran into them in the aftermath of a storm.

And even though you were blissfully unaware of the fact, this drove Scott absolutely mad.

"Hi Scott, Javi." You said cheerfully to the two boys in charge.

Scott replied with a grunt, but Javi was quick to greet you with genuine enthusiasm. "Hey! How are you?"

"I'm doing well." You nodded, smoothing your hands over your athleisure skirt. "Excited for a good chase today. How about you guys?"

"Us too." Javi nodded. "We're hoping to finally get some solid data collection today."

"Ah." You nodded, unsure what to say. You hated the idea of what they were collecting data for, but Javi seemed like a nice enough guy, and Tyler ripped on them enough for the both of you.

"Something on your mind there, princess?" Scott finally spoke, glancing away from his tablet to look down on you (literally and figuratively).

You rolled your eyes. While you would normally love to be called a princess, it always sounded like an insult coming from Scott, his voice always laced with a touch of venom.

"No, nothing at all." You smiled. "Just wondering if we'll see you guys in the aftermath if there's any damage done?"

"Why? Are you looking to increase your t-shirt sales?"

You bit your tongue, doing your best to hold your composure and not let him get to you.

"Nope, just trying to figure out if we need to make some extra to-go boxes for you guys." You decided to focus your gaze on Javi instead, finding him less intimidating.

Javi opened his mouth to speak, but Scott beat him to the punch. "I think we can find food on our own, thanks."

You took a deep breath, choosing your next words carefully. "Okay, well, the offer always stands if you change your mind."

Javi smiled and nodded. "As much as I want to see a good storm today, let's hope we don't have a ton of damage clean up."

You smiled. You knew he had a heart.

"That's something we both can agree on." You grinned. "Stay safe out there you guys!"

With that, you turned and walked away. Scott watched you go, your hair and skirt blowing side to side in the wind.

"Stay safe out there you guys." Scott mocked you under his breath.

"Yo, you don't always have to be a jerk to her, you know."

Scott gave him an unamused look. "She comes out here with her little boyfriend, selling his t-shirts and shit, and then skips over here like we're the best of friends with her thick southern accent. It's all fake."

"For one, I don't think Owens is her boyfriend." Javi corrected. "And two, I think she's just a genuinely nice person. She always says hello, even when everyone else in their crew ignores us like the plague."

"Whatever." Scott mumbled.

As you reached the truck, you took the ice-cold Coca-Cola bottle from Tyler's outstretched hand.

"Thank you!" You said excitedly, twisting the cap off to take a sip.

"How are dumb and dumber?" Tyler teased.

"Javi was nice." You informed him. "Scott was... there."

"Ah, yes." Tyler laughed. "Word on the street is he's a man of many words."

"Right." You agreed sarcastically. "But, when he does speak to me, he always calls me princess, and it drives me crazy."

"In what way?" Tyler said, failing to hold back a smirk.

It took you a moment to realize what he was implying, but when you did, you were mortified,

"Tyler Owens!" You gasped, your face flushing red with embarrassment.

""I'm just teasing you! You make it too easy." He laughed loudly. "In my defense, he looks like exactly like every boyfriend you've ever had."

Your face got even warmer, because he was exactly right. You had a weakness for tall, muscular, dark-haired men, and you especially loved a man who was a challenge.

"That is...irrelevant." You said, covering your face in your hands out of pure embarrassment.

Tyler held his hands up in surrender, as you rushed to talk about anything but Scott. "Let's just figure out what storm we're going after, you jerk." You insulted Tyler, but the smile on your face was ear to ear.

Scott watched the interaction from afar, and his chest twisted at your sickeningly sweet smile. Even if you weren't Owens' girlfriend, your closeness was evident. He ignored the burning feeling that was rising within him, not wanting to question why it was there in the first place.

Tornadoes were scary, but trying to understand how he felt about you? Terrifying.

"Alright, boss man, which storm are we chasing?" Javi pulled him out of his thoughts with a hand clapped on his shoulder, and he finally pulled his gaze away from your smile, the sound of your laughter fading into the background.

--

The storm was bad.

It hit a small town of about 3,000 people, and you estimated based on the initial damage scene that it was an EF3 at best, maybe even an EF4.

You were currently handing out anything that might be helpful to families who had been impacted by the tornado - blankets, water, heat lamps. pre-made sandwiches and cookies. You tried to offer them any comfort you could with a smile and hug, but you understood the devastation they felt all too well.

In the early days, you would try to help with the damage cleanup, but Tyler insisted that you stay back at the camper and talk to the families.

At first, you were insulted, and you thought that Tyler was insinuating you weren't strong enough to move heavy tree limbs or pieces of drywall. You finally asked him about it one day, and he laughed.

"Absolutely not!" He insisted. "You just have this energy around you that's calming, and these families need that. Your empathy and kindness are doing much more for them right now than cleaning up a bunch of rubble would."

You had never thought of it like that, but once Tyler pointed it out, it became your mission to be the solace that these families in crisis needed.

"Is there anything else we can do for you, Mrs. Smith?" You asked, rubbing the arms of a middle-aged woman who you had been speaking to for a few minutes now.

"No, thank you." She sniffled. "I really appreciate you guys being here. God bless you."

You smiled, giving her another hug. "Please let us know if there's anything more we can do to help."

She nodded, walking away to join her family, who were staring at the remains of their house.

You pushed back tears, feeling silly that this never got any easier for you, but also focused on being the anchor that these folks needed.

Scott saw you before you saw him. He watched you from afar as you did your work. He watched you force a smile and hold these people as they cried. He also watched you look up to blink back the tears before taking a deep breath and moving on to the next.

And damn if it didn't drive him nuts.

This job is easier when he doesn't get involved with the people impacted. It's easier to pretend not to care. But watching you pour your heart out to strangers, just because it's the right thing to do? It made his heart jump, and that scared him.

Ignoring the people involved and ignoring his feelings for you had become increasingly more difficult with every chase.

"Scott!" You called, approaching him with a styrofoam container in your hand.

He sighed, mentally preparing himself as you literally bounced over to him.

How the hell does someone look this good after taking on a tornado?

"Here." You offered him the container. "It's just a ham and cheese sandwich and a cookie."

"I'm really not hungry." He responded.

"Seriously?" You asked, not buying it. "We've all been chasing since 10 AM and it's nearly 8, you have to be hungry."

Scott shrugged, trying to hold back the things he really wanted to say.

"Fine." You sighed. "We're right over here if you change your mind."

"Yeah, I know princess. It's hard to miss you being the town's savior over there."

Scott watched you visibly retract and he internally screamed as his heart dropped. You probably hated him, but it didn't matter anyway. You were far too sweet for him, so putting a wedge between the two of you seemed to be the smartest way to outrun his feelings.

"Wow." You spoke, your voice much smaller and shakier than usual. "I knew you were sarcastic and maybe even a little mean, but I never thought you were actually cruel. So, thanks, for enlightening me."

And with that, you turned and strutted off. This time, you failed to fight back the tears as you returned to the camper.

And to your horror, Tyler was there, taking a break from clean up for some water.

When Tyler sees you cry, his overprotective streak comes out instantly, and right now you didn't want to be protected, because you were so embarrassed that he finally got to you. You were even more embarrassed that you thought that just maybe, he might be a good person under that scowl and hard facade.

"Hey, hey, hey, are you okay?" Tyler rushed up to meet you.

You nodded, trying to stop sniffling. "I'm fine."

Tyler looked behind you to see Scott watching you closely, with a look that almost mimicked longing, and he quickly put two and two together.

"Let me handle this." He insisted.

You shook your head in protest. "No, Tyler, please, he thinks I'm a waste of time anyways, it's not worth it."

"Trust me, he doesn't," Tyler reassured you. "Let me handle this, and if it goes badly, I'll edit all the stream highlights for the next two weeks, okay?"

"Deal." You nodded.

You truly did trust him more than anyone in your life, so you opted to go inside the camper and dry up your tears while he went to speak to Scott. You would let Tyler handle it, but no way were you going to stand there and watch, looking like a puppy who just got kicked.

"Coming to defend your girlfriend's honor?" Scott said sarcastically, trying to mask any emotion he was feeling.

"Dude, seriously." Tyler glared at him. "If you want her attention being a complete and total asshole is not the way you get it."

"Is that what you think? That I want her 'attention'?" He said, framing the last word in air quotes.

"Yeah, I do." Tyler nodded. "I saw the look you gave her as she walked away."

"Okay, so what?" Scott shrugged. "You might be surprised to know I am human and I didn't mean to make her cry."

"Sure." Tyler nodded. "So, what about all the other times I've caught you staring at her, hm?"

Scott stayed silent, stunned speechless.

"Ah, you thought you were better at hiding it, didn't you?" Tyler said with a smug grin. "Every time we end up at the same gas station, restaurant, bar, or motel, your eyes follow her nearly the whole time. And don't even get me started on the holes you burn into my head when I'm talking to her."

"Alright, fine." Scott snapped angrily. "Here to rub it in my face then?"

Tyler sighed in frustration. "No."

"Then what?"

"I'm going to give you a piece of advice."

"Why?" Scott scoffed. "It's no secret that we aren't friends."

"I know her better than anyone else, do you want my help or not?" Tyler asked, his patience nearing its limit.

Scott didn't protest this time.

"Look, no matter what I think about you, you're pretty much exactly her type," Tyler said, much to Scott's surprise. "So if you want her, apologize and tell her how you feel."

"She's not going to feel the same, and she deserves much better than me." Scott retorted. "C'mon Owens, you know what we do. When she comes floating into these broken towns like a heaven-sent angel, I'm collecting data for the devil."

"That doesn't have to be a permanent problem." Tyler pointed out. "Plus, she likes a challenge, and she's definitely brave enough to think she can fix you."

That cracked a smile from both of them, followed by a moment of silence.

"218." Tyler said.

"What?"

"That's the room she's staying in tonight." Tyler said, starting to walk away. "Apologize."

Scott nodded, beginning to formulate a plan on how the hell he was going to get you to forgive him.

--

You were snug under your blanket in the motel room watching reruns of Modern Family when the knock came.

You sighed and got up, not bothering to check the peephole as you assumed it was just Tyler coming to talk about the day's events.

So when you opened the door to see Scott standing there, you couldn't be more surprised.

"What are you doing here?" You said quietly, nearly breathless at the sight of him.

It wasn't the first time you had seen him outside of that stupid Storm Par white jumpsuit, but it was the first time you had seen him in gray sweatpants and a tight black long-sleeve shirt that clung to his muscles in a way that you could only describe as sinful.

He towered over you, leaning against the frame of the doorway, and you nearly shuddered when you looked up to meet the intense gaze in his eyes.

"I brought you something. As an apology for being an ass earlier today."

"Oh, and what did you bring for all the other times?" You spat back, no longer in the mood to play nice with him.

"I deserve that." He sighed. "Can I come in?"

"Depends." You responded, and he raised an eyebrow. "What did you bring me?"

He handed you a plastic bag, and you opened it to find a Cherry Coke, Sour Patch Kids, and a Honey Bun.

All of your favorites.

"How did you know what I like?" You asked, curious to know if Tyler was behind this.

"You always get some combination of the three at any local gas station." He shrugged.

He remembered because the first time he saw you buy all three he physically rolled his eyes, because, of course, you would buy snacks just as sickeningly sweet as you.

"I didn't know you paid this much attention to me." You said softly.

"Yeah." Scott inhaled a sharp breath. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Can I please come in?"

You opened the door, inviting him in with the gesture. The door shut behind you, and there was a brief moment of silence between you two.

"I'm sorry, for being a jerk today and every other time I'm around you." Scott started, visibly nervous as he ran a hand through his hair. "I wish I had a better explanation for why I've been such an ass."

"Yeah, so let's hear it." You said, hands on your hips. "Because I have been nothing but nice to you, even though I don't like who you work for and what they stand for."

"I know." He nodded. "At first, I thought you were being fake or sarcastic because it was unfathomable to me that you would be nice to us when you have absolutely no reason to be."

You nodded, encouraging him to continue.

"But once I learned more about you, and I realized you were being genuinely nice," Scott took a deep breath, building up all his courage. "It knocked me off my feet."

"What do you mean?" You asked, confused at what he was getting at

"I spend most of my time pretending that I don't care about the people that are devastated by all of this, because it's easier that way. But watching you bear your heart and soul to all of these people, just because you can?" Scott scoffed. "It makes it hard to pretend like I don't care about them, or more importantly, about you."

"You care about me?"

"I do." He nodded. "And I was a jerk to you because I thought it would be easier to make you hate me than it would be to admit that I have feelings for you, when you're far too good for me."

His admission stunned you. You can feel your heart thumping out of your chest as you look into his eyes, which look painstakingly vulnerable.

"I completely understand if you don't feel the same way, but I couldn't outrun these feelings anymore, and I wanted to at least let you know that I'm sorry."

The room fell silent as you processed everything he just told you. Scott was panicking inside, waiting for what felt like years for you to say something, anything.

"Do you know why I was always nice to you?" You asked him. "Because I was hoping that somewhere in there you had a good side. I needed to know that you had a heart before I could admit to myself that I felt drawn to you."

"Do you still? Feel drawn to me?"

You nodded. Stepping closer to him so that you were nearly face to face.

"Can I kiss you?"

"Please." You nodded desperately, your words barely above a whisper.

His lips were on yours in a flash, and the pure intensity of the kiss nearly knocked you off your feet. It was heated and rough, but somehow gentle and passionate at the same time. His thumb grazed your cheek as he pulled you closer, and every spot his fingers touched made your skin feel like it was on fire. You couldn't get enough of him.

Once he knew you were comfortable, he took the liberty of exploring you more. His tongue slipped into your mouth gently and his teeth caught your bottom lip, causing a small whimper to come from the back of your throat.

Scott groaned at the sound, letting his mind imagine (not for the first time) all of the sounds he could pull from you.

When the two of you finally pulled away for air, he kept you close, his hands ghosting under your chin around your neck, forcing you to meet his eyes.

"You taste just as sweet as I thought you would," Scott said with a smirk.

"Shut up and kiss me again."

[autistichalsin]

Masterpost of cut content, changes, and etc for early game builds of Halsin

I have found a lot of cut things relating to Halsin, some from developer interviews, a lot from the datamine, and some from other sources. I decided to compile those here.

Some disclaimers and clarifications first:

I use the term "early build(s)" to distinguish it from both release and from the Early Access test period. If you don't remember something here, it's because it was removed without ever being implemented in Early Access.

I do not have the energy to link or upload the datamined files, etc, so instead I will state where I found them and you are free to look if you want to.

This list is not exhaustive. There are likely even more things that we will never know about.

The game underwent many, many rewrites; some characters existed in ways you would not recognize today, before being rewritten.

I am not including things that were changed after release, IE the unfinished Halsin vs Minthara ultimatum that started to be worked on from patches 4-6 but was never implemented.

With that said, let's jump in! I will try to organize these roughly in order of how early the game build was, but it's not always possible to know how far back a given change was, so it won't be precise.

If I missed any, please feel free to let me know!

Halsin wasn't always the only Archdruid at the Emerald Grove; there was once a second Archdruid, Denor, who worshipped Eldath. She and Halsin had a fight because she was worried about the Shadow-Cursed Lands, and she went off to investigate a lead and got captured, presumably leading Halsin to try and go save her. Likely to simplify that plot, they instead made the Grove solely consist of Druids of Silvanus, and Halsin and Denor's plots were combined into just Halsin. (This was recovered from datamined files.)

Halsin used to be an elderly man; this has been confirmed by both Kevin (writer of Lae'zel and Wyll) and John (Halsin's writer). Halsin's pipe is an artifact from this time, which they never removed. This caused a lot of confusion for the writers when Halsin got de-aged to what we know today, causing a lot of fans in Early Access to thirst for him, as the last the writers had seen, he was, well, an old man. There were streams at this time with writers explaining they had been baffled at first until they saw Halsin's then-new model.

Listening to old voice files from back when each Tav narrated their own story, Halsin originally had two bear companions, a male and a female, who were mates. It was possible to cause both Halsin and one of the bears to die at the goblin camp, leaving the other bear heartbroken at losing both their mate and their master.

Halsin had a friend, the cut Origin character Helia, and they would have been imprisoned together. (This was recovered from datamined files.) Helia had two recruitment locations, one in the forest and one in the worg pens, and in fact there is still text in the post-release file for the worg pen scene mentioning it could be her or Halsin there. Her recruitment dialogue mentioned that goblins had taken Halsin away (more on that below) and it seems (though not confirmed, but just putting pieces together) that which location Helia was recruited from would influence where you found Halsin; if you found her in the forest, he'd be in the goblin cage, but if you missed Helia there and found her in the pens, he'd be taken to Moonrise. Leading to...

It was possible for Halsin to be imprisoned in Moonrise. There was an audio file recovered where Minthara would mention the Druid the player was looking for was there and she could get them an audience with him, and there are multiple tags referring to Halsin being imprisoned in a pod (such as a dialogue option to leave him in his pod), as well as an eventflag suggesting Halsin could have been tadpoled. More specifically, there was a flag set for saving Halsin before he was tadpoled, which by implication also strongly hints he could have been tadpoled there. There was also a cut dialogue line from an unknown character (possibly, but not certainly, Helia or a Druid) saying, "Halsin! What did they do to you???" which also hints at this. Another line said, "easy, Halsin. We're all friends here," and was removed at the same time that all references to this outcome were, suggesting it was part of that same path. (Possibly tadpoled Halsin would have been disoriented and aggressive, causing the player to need to reassure him they're friendly, though that is sheer speculation on my part.)

As shown in the concept art book, Halsin's scar used to, in fact, be from a battle, instead of being attacked for rejecting a she-bear's advances.

As is very well-known by now, Halsin was responsible for Isobel's death. Rather than being promoted to Archdruid after the battle, he was always in charge, and represented the Druids and Harpers in a negotiation attempt with Ketheric. Instead, some unknown force (believed to be Shar) caused Isobel and other combatants to go temporarily insane and attack each other. She attacked Halsin, and he immediately reacted in self-defense, stabbing her with the glaive Sorrow. He believed it became cursed as a result, because holding it filled him with such sadness, and anyone who used it would take psychic damage as well. Essentially, his trauma and regret from killing her was so great that it gained a physical form in the blade. Further, that was the main reason for his guilt regarding the Shadow-Cursed Lands, leading to...

Halsin's friendship with Thaniel was a later addition. Before, Halsin only mentioned having seen him briefly in his meditations; he wanted to save Thaniel because it would break the curse over the land, not because it was Thaniel himself.

Halsin's mission in act 2 was much bigger, and was trimmed significantly as a result- being far too big for an optional sidequest for a non-Origin character. Instead of waking Art Cullagh to get information on the Shadowfell, you fought the three Thorms to get a bone from each of them, which you would then bring to Isobel, who would grind them up for use in a ritual. Then you would defend Halsin while he tried to open the portal (more on the portal below), instead of defending him while he was inside it. You were then instructed to go to the Shar temple to wait for him, after which the quest would presumably end with Halsin, overjoyed and grateful beyond words for your help, bringing Thaniel to recover in Last Light and promising light would return to the lands soon.

During this quest, Halsin would also give you a dagger called Promise, which would help him find you from the Shadowfell. He also mentioned that a sign of his spirit would manifest itself in the Shar temple when the player had found the right place. That's where the "you are the beacon that will guide me home" line likely originated from.

The portal quest was different, as noted above. Most notably, there are still files in-game for a scenario where, despite being warned repeatedly not to touch the portal, you could wait for him to open it and then attempt to enter, causing it to collapse. Horrified and heartbroken, Halsin would yell at you, and you could give an explanation ranging from "sorry I panicked" to "I worship Shar and didn't want you to succeed, hahaha dumbass." Halsin, heartbroken, would leave to be alone to grieve, and then would leave you forever.

Oliver was likely not a part of this quest originally; he, along with Art's story, were added when the quest got trimmed down from what it had been, but still needed some little quest progressions, so they tweaked the story to give it some meat back without making it such a daunting quest as it was before.

There was once going to be a scene of Halsin and Jaheira having a very heated argument during act 2. What it was about, and how it would have ended, has never been discovered; the only thing we know is the title of the file from an early datamine. It is possible it could have been about Jaheira learning about Halsin's responsibility for Isobel's death, as she is shown in canon to be protective of Isobel, or it could be about their different priorities over whether the cult or the curse should be a priority.

Worth noting here are various changes to characterization (rather than noting every single one individually). Halsin was more openly emotional (particularly after you saved Thaniel), often sassier, and his abilities as a healer were emphasized more strongly back then. He teased you about if the tadpole would share your hangover the day after the party, he would dryly say he can't cut your tadpole out or he'd be removing it from a corpse, etc. It is also possible, though has never been confirmed, that we might have been intended to learn his last name of Silverbough at some point, as John has mentioned an earlier character outline having said that as his last name, in reference to Celtic mythology.

Halsin had voice lines referencing Orpheus; you could mention him to Halsin, and he would mention he wanted to meet anyone who knew about these tadpoles.

Halsin's sex scene with him wildshaping into a bear seems to have once been intended for a different scene where the wildshaping occurred offscreen and was also played for laughs; this was pitched by Baudelaire Welch, and then John Corcoran turned it into a part of the main romance. What that original pitch was, what the context would have been, etc, are not known. Just that the wildshaping was originally an offscreen gag in another scene. (Possibly Sharess' Caress?)

There were going to be scenes, near the end of the game, where the elder brain would torment the group with hallucinations of themselves that would pick at their weaknesses, fears and insecurities; these files still exist in rough draft form in the game. Halsin's particular hallucination would have hinted at his struggles with feelings of meaningless, and his wondering whether he should just give up, etc.

There is also a voice line that still exists for characters who were in your party, but left either due to plot events or their approval dropping, being captured by the Absolute and showing up to fight against you in the courtyard battle. Halsin was included here as well, being an enemy who would yell "For the Absolute!" at the start of his turns.

It is possible, though not certain, that the writers intended for you to be able to bring Halsin back to act 1; he and Minthara both have voice lines for the creche. However, it is possible that this was just added to cover the exploit where casting silence on either of them would leave them unable to initiate their scene where they refuse to return with you.

I hesitate to include this one, as I have yet to find anything even remotely concrete (the closest things being an ambiguous tag and the circumstantial evidence of there being many hanging plot threads), but it is widely believed that there was supposed to be a continuation of the Shadow Druids plot which would center around Halsin, based on Halsin's uncertainty in act 3 of whether they might actually be right, a tag referencing Kagha's act 1 turn from the Shadow Druids if this happened, a line from the Shadow Druids mentioning they were going to Baldur's Gate, and the reveal that Ketheric had the Shadow Druids sent to the Grove to weaken the Drudis there as he knew from experience what a threat they could be.

Hope you enjoyed that deep dive! I don't THINK I forgot anything, but on the off chance I did, do feel free to let me know and I will update this post!

[spiderb00]

I'm live - Sophia Laforteza

Sophia Laforteza X reader 

Synopsis: Being a streamer is fun, even more fun if your girlfriend shows up by surprise on your live. 

Genre: Fluff 

a/n: I had this idea while I was watching Tinakitten's live on Twitch, I love her, she's my favorite streamer 

English is not my first language so maybe I messed up a little and blablabla. <3 

Streaming on Twitch has always been very relaxing for me, just playing and connecting with people felt very enjoyable. I never imagined how big this would all become, when I started it was just for fun and now I have just over two thousand people watching me every time I turn on the camera. All of this has given me amazing experiences, including meeting my beautiful girlfriend, Sophia Laforteza.   

I met Sophia at a concert, specifically backstage at Olivia Rodrigo's concert, we talked a little and discovered many things in common. After a lot of talking we ended up exchanging phone numbers, going on dates, and before I knew it I was acting like a teenager with they first crush. 

At first we were very afraid that it wouldn't work. Sophia has tight schedules and seems to be everywhere all the time, but we quickly managed to unite our schedules and make everything fit perfectly 

We hadn't made our relationship public yet, so no one knew we were dating, except of course, our families and the Katz's. What happens is that a few days ago my chat noticed that there was a female voice speaking a little loudly in the middle of the live, which earned me several spams and donations where people asked who was with me at home and why I didn't show them on the live, given that all my friends had already appeared on camera at some point. 

Even though I said it was just a friend and trying my best to shift the focus to something else, my chat didn't seem to be very convinced, they were always making jokes about the "mysterious girl" in my kitchen, like at this very moment.  

"Chat, can't you just forget about it?" I said as I leaned back in my chair, resting my arms above my head to be more comfortable as I waited for all my friends to join the strange game that Foolish forced us to play. 

"What are you talking about dummy?" Tina, my friend, said when she heard me grumble about the chat.  

"The chat just being mean to me!" I said while making a sad voice, only to break laughing at the comments.   

Superglue2000 - We're Not Being Mean, We're Snooping 😊  

Bealovesyn – I'm trying to know who my wife is cheating on me with!!!

Cowboybibi – why did we never consider that it could be the voice of Tina? Yn and her seem very close... :/   

"Chat, what? Why are they putting Tina in this?" I said while laughing nervously.   

"Uh? Putting myself in what?" Tina said, her voice confused, she also seemed nervous about the situation. Tina and I are friends, neither of us wants things to get weird because of some speculation.   

"Guys, stop spamming Tina. She's never been in my kitchen." I said laughing, trying to give off an air of confidence, but I honestly think I was failing miserably.   

"Oh, that's crazy." Tina said laughing, I think she had already understood what was going on, she knew she wasn't involved in anything, so she had no reason to be afraid. 

Before I could say anything else, the door to my studio was opened, and there she was, in all her glory, my beautiful girlfriend, Sophia Laforteza.   

"Hey baby, I just arrived, I bought pizza on the way, do you want me to bring it to you?"  

Completely paralyzed, that's how I was. Without arguments and without knowing how to elaborate a word if you want. My only reaction was to whisper; 

"Baby, I'm live!"   

"I know beautiful, that's why I came here to ask if you want to eat, you've been there for a long time." Now, listen to me, despite the friendly tone, I know my Sophia, okay, I know my girl, and something's not right.  

"So yes, that's fine, thanks for asking."  

For the first time I had the courage to look at the chat.   

Spidermanmasc – Bro, you literally got a girlfriend, you dumped the losing nerds 

Cutekate – OMG, YOU REALLY HAVE SOMEONE! SHOW HER ON CAMERA!!  

Superglue2000 - Don't be shy miss, come and say hello...   

Eyekonswinning – this sounds crazy, but it sounds a lot like Sophia's voice??? 

"Well, now they're asking you to say hello..."  

Before I could complete my sentence and tell her that she didn't have to do it if she didn't want to, Sophia was already on my lap, appearing gracefully in the camera frame.   

"Hi guys, my name is Sophia, I'm Yn's girlfriend." The smile on her face seemed immense, I was completely paralyzed.   

Macaronechease – OMG, SHE'S SO BEAUTIFUL, I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!  

Eyekonswinning – WHAT??? I KNEW THE VOICE WAS SIMILAR, BUT WHAT'S IT???? (You guys are very cute btw.)  

Superglue2000 – Your girlfriend is simply the leader of Katseye???

Spidermanmasc – like, and I say HOW DID YOU PULL THIS GIRL??? 

"Hey, what are you saying? I know my girlfriend is amazing, but you don't have to humiliate me." I said smiling. As unusual as all of this was, I was very happy with the positive comments.  

"Well, how about I go get the pizza and come see you play?" Sophia said as she looked at me, giving a quick kiss on my cheek before getting up and heading towards the kitchen.   

"Well... That was epic." Tina spoke, for a minute I forgot I was on the call.   

"Dude, how did you pull her???" It's literally the first sentence Foolish said on live.   

"Dude, shut up and let's play." 

After the live is over, Sophia and I are on the couch, relaxing.   

"So I love that we're public now, but I have to ask. Why did you decide to do this so unexpectedly?"  

"Because I love you, and I want everyone to know it..." She said as she gave me a long kiss.  

"And you're mine, no one will ship you with anyone other than me." she says grabbing my face with those huge nails.   

This woman is the death of me. 

[queenimmadolla]

could you do any dad!steve? maybe with new baby

I am never escaping the dad trope lol, and I don't want to! This got angsty fast, though, as it's an idea I've been toying around with for the better part of years now and you've given me the chance to get it out there. I present to you:

𝐃𝐚𝐝ⵑ𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐱 𝐌𝐨𝐦ⵑ𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫, tw: postpartum depression. reader is not happy and experiencing mom guilt.

Summary: Steve Harrington, first time father of one, muses about you, the mother of his child.

“I know, I know…” Steve cooed, foot frantically tapping against the kitchen tile while he waited for hot water to heat the liquid contained in the bottle, floating in the pot. 

  He was the poster boy for exhaustion, one shoulder of his shirt covered in spit up, the other with a spit up rag slung over it. Also, covered in spit up. His sweats were no better, stained with projectile spit up, her pee because surprise, surprise, female babies can also have little pee streams, and whatever he was trying to eat before she’d start crying and he fumbled his meal to get to her. 

  The baby, tucked into a bassinet Steve was dragging around the house at that point, was just a few weeks old, and furious. Little limbs wiggling and shaking, face scrunched up as she cried. Agatha was pissed and obviously didn’t give a crap what he was saying and Steve let out a heavy sigh, practically feeling the frustration she was experiencing, as a result of picking up on his own emotions. Joyce Byers had told him babies had a way of doing that. Little bundles of empathy, yet to be marred by the world.

  Three weeks out of the hospital, and already she was experiencing a multitude of emotions he could barely stand. Largely, the concern and loneliness.

  Agatha’s screams continued to echo, the bottle continued to warm on the stove, and Steve turned his head towards the stairs. Melancholy weighed heavy on his chest as he thought of you. You probably hadn’t moved since he’d last checked on you a few minutes ago, curled up on the window nook and staring blankly out of it.

  You didn’t talk to him a whole lot. Didn’t do much, either. Steve would like to say he noticed the first change when he’d brought the two of you back home, but he’d noticed it before then. Noticed in that delivery room.

  You’d been unsure of being a mother when you found out you were pregnant, but a family had been something the two of you always talked about. To you, specifically, it seemed to be something that would always be in the future, never something that would be happening right now. The joy soon found you, and you were ecstatic to be welcoming your baby. Hand painted so many of the designs in her nursery, built up an impressive library and wardrobe for her, discussed your yearning for the days where you’d get to sit out in the yard with her in your arms, read to her, nurse her. You wanted it.

  But Steve had seen the look in your eyes when the nurse had put your baby girl’s trembling body in your arms. Or rather, he’d seen what was missing from them. 

  It was like your body was in the room, but you weren’t. You didn’t want to be there. Didn’t want to hold her. 

  You weren’t very chatty after the birth, quiet, reserved and pleasant. Too busy catching up on what you hadn’t been able to eat while pregnant, to pay attention to the baby girl everyone was cooing over and you seemed vaguely uncomfortable anytime one of your friends diverted their attention away to check on you.

  It should have been the first sign for Steve to let the doctor know but he wrote it off as you being tired. Because you were. Tired. 

  When he brought you home, he’d thought you’d be much better. Surrounded by your things, and memories, and nothing but reminders of his love for you. You’d be better.

  And then you weren’t. You went about your normal routine, chores, errands, all without so much as a smile on your face. No frown, either, just…nothing. 

  It was when Steve couldn’t deny how desperate you were to not pick up the baby, to not have to hold her, that he had to accept what was happening.

  A diagnosis was given, one that was hard for you to deal with because you’d been difficult when it came to discussing your feelings, let alone doing so with a doctor.

  “Honey, it’s not a big deal! Your hormones have changed and you-you read the same baby books as me─” Of course, he’d said the wrong thing.

  “ ‘Not a big deal’?” Your eyes were shiny and blazing, “Not a big deal? You’re asking me to go to a doctor. Like something’s wrong with me and it’s not a big deal to you? Do you think I’m crazy? What—just because I’m not happy as fuck to change her diapers?”

  Steve’s stomach hurt, twisting at both his pain and yours.

  “It’s not the diapers, honey. It’s not…” He paused, throat swallowing around a heavy emotion, “You’re not crazy. You’re not.”

  “I’m not.” You confirmed, ready to stomp back upstairs to the master bedroom and pretend this never happened when he spoke softly.

  “You just won’t pick her up after.”

  You hesitated on the first step, turning to face him while you stared at the ground, almost mortified that he’d said what you’d intentionally been doing out loud; changing her diapers because she smelled or wouldn’t. stop. crying. and then immediately announcing to Steve that she was ready so he could grab her. And if he noticed that, well…he’d also noticed how frequently you disappeared to pump. Always handing him a bottle when one was needed before fluttering off to some other part of the house or outside. Not around. The last time you’d even nursed Agatha was in the hospital. It’d be fine if you didn’t want to, you just had to tell him. You both knew breastfeeding wasn’t for everyone. That led him to believe it was something more. And whenever you had to put her to sleep because Steve for some reason couldn’t, you’d always get this far out look on your face, like you were disassociating. Would rather be anywhere else.

  You weren’t you and what scared Steve most was how you were intentionally trying to deceive him into thinking you were fine. Because it meant you were trying to convince yourself, too. Holding it all in.

  You had swallowed hard, cleared your throat and attempted a shrug, “So? I clean her poop and you take the next shift. Thought that was what we were doing.”

  Steve knew he’d get nowhere with you if you continued to shy away from what he was saying. He knew it would hurt you, but he had to be direct if he wanted to get you help.

  “Do you like holding her?” You were put on the spot, he knew he’d finally gotten through. You fidgeted, a hand reaching up to massage the back of your neck, something Steve always did to comfort and soothe you.

  “Uhm—I,”

  “Do you want to hold her?”

  The tears came before you could stop them and you knew he knew. Your face crumpled. In a flash, Steve had you in his arms while you cried into his chest.

  ”I don’t know what’s wrong with me, she’s perfect but she doesn’t feel like she’s mine. And she hasn’t done anything wrong and I just don’t─”

  Steve hushed you, pressing kiss after kiss to your forehead as he held you tight, “It’ll be okay, honey. It will. I promise.”

  The first few doctors were dismissive of you and your feelings and Steve had let them, their staff, and everyone in the waiting area know how little he cared for their conduct. Then came a saint. This doctor had said it was Postpartum Depression. 

  A scarily common thing for those who give birth, and widely undiagnosed because either women didn’t seek treatment for various reasons and aspects in their life, or they weren’t taken seriously when reaching out for help.

  Steve had hoped knowing it wasn’t your fault, knowing it wasn’t anyone’s fault, would help you but you’d been even more quiet since. Had even chosen the window nook as your new roost. 

  He was lucky he had a more than an average amount of time saved up at work to stay home. Steve had imagined it would be used as family bonding time, time he’d get to spend with both his girls, and now he’s trying to make sure both of his girls may someday get the chance to bond. 

  Steve was snapped out of his head when some hot water splashed on his hand and he hissed, cursing under his breath as he quickly turned the burner off. The water was boiling, there was no way he’d be able to give that milk to Aggie. Shit, how could he get so fucking in his head and distracted—

  The baby. 

  Steve immediately registered that the house was quiet, his head darted in the direction of the bassinet and his heart dropped when he saw it was empty.

  HIS BABY!

  “Aggie?” He called out like a dumbass as if his three week old baby would respond. 

  The stove, the pot, and the bottle were abandoned as he frantically searched the house for her, literally running down the hall. The front door was locked, so was the back door so no one had broken in.

  And then a thought occurred to him. One that filled him with far too much hope. His frantic steps became quiet, afraid to make so much as a creak when he made his way upstairs and down the hall.

  With bated breath, he pushed the bedroom door open. 

  You were still in on the nook, just as he suspected. The top windows were open, allowing a sweet breeze into your bedroom, curtains billowing gently on either side of you. Rays of sun framed you, a light blanket over your lap. A blanket that housed your daughter. Steve could see her little fist, clenching and unclenching even with her little mittens on—she liked to scratch her face and then get mad about it—as she nursed. You kept her close, thumb stroking over the soft, exposed delicate skin of Agatha’s arm while you read, occasionally mouthing a few words. 

  Steve stood almost paralyzed, in complete astonishment as he watched the two of you.

  At some point, Aggie began making an intense grunting noise and you looked away from your book, down at her in concern as she unlatched herself from you. 

  “Oh, what’s going on─” Aggie let out a large and long toot and her grunting immediately stopped before she began to root around for your nipple again. You let out a loud laugh, body shaking with it as you assisted her with latching. “Such a silly girl. Stinky, too.”

  Steve almost joined you, almost walked in that room, to take part in it. He didn’t. Legs twitched to move forward, but he just smiled, amused with Aggie and happy to see you smile. Steve would just linger in the doorway for now, satisfied with letting his girls bond.

𝑙𝑖𝑔𝘩𝑡 𝑑𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠 ℗ 𝑐𝑎𝑓𝑒𝑘𝑖𝑡𝑠𝑢𝑛𝑒 ♡

[watchmegetobsessed]

ACROSS THE GLOBE

A/N: nan and harry are back!!! it was def time to give them the love they deserve! enjoy this cute little piece from their life!

WORD COUNT: 1.6k

SUMMARY: It's Nan's birthday and Harry wouldn't miss it, not even if he has to come home from Japan.

MORE FROM THE NAN&HARRY UNIVERSE

Summer stretches long this year, September is gifting you with another warm weekend before the cold sweeps its claws across the meadows behind Nan’s house. But for now, it’s still warm enough to fill her garden with chatter and laughter as you celebrate her birthday. 

One of your uncles is on grilling duty, the adults are gathered on the terrace mostly while the grandchildren are making the best out of how great Nan’s backyard is for hide&seek. Though the Sun has started dipping lower, the sky turning orangier with each passing minute, you still have about an hour of daylight. 

With your emptied out cake plate you make your way inside with the intention of washing the plate so you could at least feel like you did something to help, but since you’ve arrived everyone has made it their shared goal to stop you from even lifting a finger. Well into the seventh month of your pregnancy you do feel like some activities take a lot more effort and energy from you, but you refuse to give in to the helplessness, though needless to say that Harry is also part of the let’s-stop-YN-from-doing-literally-anything team. You can only sneak off now because everyone is busy with Nan showing off her new gardening set she just got as a present. 

Your belly is big enough that you have to turn your hips as you lean over to wash the plate so you can actually reach the sink without your navel poking into the stream of water. The clock next to the fridge on the wall tells you that Harry should be here any minute. It’s a complete surprise for Nan, she thinks he is still in Japan and can’t make it home for her birthday. What’s more, she specifically told him not to rearrange his plans just for him.

“Oh Son, I’m planning to have a few more birthdays, you’ll come to those! Just go and do your thing!” she told him on the phone and you saw the smirk on Harry’s face, because he already had the tickets to come back for the get together.

He would never miss an occasion to celebrate Nan.

Once the plate is washed and dried, your attention is averted by the cupcakes that are left on the counter. You tell yourself you’ve had enough sugar for the both of you and baby, but just one more cupcake can’t hurt…

So you’re way too busy with the icing that smears on your nose to notice the opening of the front door and when two very familiar hands sneak around your belly from behind, you jump a little, like you just got caught red handed, but then quickly melt into Harry’s arms, head falling back onto his shoulder.

“Can I get a bite?” he murmurs, kissing your cheek and gently biting the skin as well, making you giggle while his hands are continuously rubbing your belly, something he’s been obsessed with since you popped. He never not takes an opportunity to touch the stretched skin, feel a little kick or talk to his little princess.

That’s what he’s been calling the baby ever since you found out the gender by a cake made by none other than Nan. You still remember the excitement on Nan’s face before you were about to cut into the cake she made as the only person knowing the gender other than your obgyn. The pink filling poured out right when the knife sliced through the white outside and everyone gasped and cheered at once as the secret Nan had been keeping was revealed. A moment you’ll never forget.

You hold out the cupcake for him over your shoulder and he cranes his neck to get a bite, the icing getting on his nose as well and you’re quick to turn your head and kiss it off before turning in his arms all together. 

“Hi,” he smiles at you warmly, his hands slipping to your waist, under your jumper, to your back to rub your back gently. 

“Hi,” you return the smile. 

“Missed you,” he murmurs against your lips before kissing you sweetly.

“Both of us?” 

“Of course,” he grins, stealing another kiss before leaning down and pressing one on your belly as well. “Everything alright?” he asks from your belly, waiting for an answer from you.

“Yeah, everything is great, especially now that daddy’s here.” Smiling, you run a hand through his hair before he straightens up and with a soft hum he kisses you again, this time a little deeper, more passionately. 

You’ve learned that Harry just really loves when you call him that. Early in your pregnancy he was quite anxious, always worried about how he would take up on the role of being a father, but he overcome that by the time you entered the second trimester, a sense of confidence appeared in his mindset and he took a full turn, owning the situation that this is truly happening, he is about to become a father. He’s been loving every hint about that since then, loving being the father figure, loving being a caretaker for not just you, but his little princess as well.

“Let’s surprise Nan,” you smile at him once you pull away. 

“Brought her flowers, let me get them from the car quickly. You just go out and pretend like nothing is happening,” he grins, though he knows everyone will notice the change in you, you can’t help it, this is Harry’s effect on you. 

You part ways, Harry jogs out to his car and you return outside, taking your previous spot. 

“Where were you?” your mom asks.

“Just washed my plate.”

“Y/N! We’re gonna load the washing machine!” Nan tells you off, but you just laugh it off.

“I’m just pregnant, my hands aren’t falling off.”

“Just sit and enjoy!” one of your aunts orders and a moment later you have a plate full of food in front of you, even though you’ve already devoured so much you ate more than everyone else combined. 

“What’s that smirk?” your mom questions, leaning closer to you.

“What smirk?” you ask innocently.

“That smirk on your face. What’s going on?”

“What happened?” Nan joins in on the conversation, her eyes moving back and forth between you and your mom with a puzzled look. 

“Nothing happened! I’m literally just sitting here, being pregnant!” you chuckle and Nan is about to question you again when her eyes move to a figure behind you, pure shock taking over her face.

“Oh you!” she gasps, her hands covering her mouth as she rounds the table and walks over to Harry, who just appeared with a big bouquet of flowers.

“Happy birthday, Nan!” he grins as Nan takes his face between her chunky, wrinkled hands, pulling it down so she can kiss both his cheeks before hugging him tight. 

“What are you doing here?”

“You think I would ever miss your birthday?” he chuckles, winking at you over Nan’s shoulder as she is still hugging him. 

“Told you not to bother! You don’t have to travel across the globe for an old lady!”

“It’s not a bother, Nan,” he smiles once she lets go of him. “This is for you,” he hands her the beautiful bouquet and Nan’s eyes are sparkling as she takes the flowers and takes a closer look.

“Thank you dear. Thank you so much.” She kisses his cheek once more before moving back to the table. 

Harry disappears for a moment, you look for him confused, but then he reemerges with another bouquet, a smaller one as he approaches you.

“And this is for my beautiful girls,” he murmurs as he leans down and kisses you on the lips softly. 

“Ah Harry!” you pout at him, touched that he thought of you as well, even though that’s all he ever does. 

He pulls a chair over next to you and settles, one hand instantly coming to grab yours, fingers lacing together in your lap. 

“How was Japan?” one of your uncles asks as Harry is offered a beer, but he refuses. He hasn’t drank alcohol since you found out you’re pregnant. 

“Great, it’s always a good time.”

“Are you going back?” Nan asks with a worried look. You open your mouth, ready to say that yes, Harry will be heading back for another week in two days, but he is quicker.

“No. This was my last trip for a long while.”

“What?” The surprise on your face is obvious, this is new even to you. As far as you knew, after Japan he still had to make a trip to Italy.

Harry turns to you with a smile as he shrugs.

“Moved things around a bit. I’m staying home.”

A tear runs down your cheek as you lean over and kiss him gratefully. You never told him you’d rather have him home with you in the last two months before the baby arrives, but it was definitely on your mind, you just never wanted to be like the kind of partner who tells him what to do when he is fully capable of making his own decisions.

And he always makes the best ones, this is proof of that as well.

“I love you,” you whisper against his lips, your word lost for everyone else in the chatter around you, but Harry hears them loud and clear.

“Love you too,” he smiles into the kiss before pulling back and joining in on the conversation .

Thank you for reading, please like and reblog if you enjoyed and buy me a coffee if you want to support me!

[uluvjay]

Lessons- L. Sargeant

Logan Sargeant x Best friend! Reader

Request: Hiii Jay! I love your Logan smut. Please can you write more for him? I have a specific request but can you please write Logan teaching his best friend how to suck dick? with lots of praise of him telling her how good she is etc

Warnings?; Smut, oral, inexperienced reader, cursing, pet names, slight face fucking, i apologize for any errors!

Logan jumped at the sound of his front door opening and slamming shut quickly, his head whipping around to see who it was walking into his Florida home. He found you in a pretty dress but you looked embarrassed and the way you threw your bag down on his entryway table confirmed his suspicions.

He didn’t speak a word as you entered his kitchen and ravaged his cabinets until you found your favorite candy, making your way to the other side of his large couch with a huff and your head down.

“What’s wrong?” He asked softly noticing the tear tracks on your cheeks.

“I need your help.” You mumbled.

“What happened? Did someone do something to you?” He questioned quickly.

“Nobody did anything, well he said something but he didn’t physically do anything.” You spoke.

“Y/n you’re worrying me, what’s going on?” He asked again.

“I was on a date and the guy wanted head and I told him no.” You began.

“Okay..” logan trailed not sure where this conversation could go.

“and I said no because..well because I don’t know how to give someone head.” You spoke, cheeks burning hot with embarrassment at your admission.

“And you want me help?” He questioned softly.

To others they’d be shocked with their best friend coming them for help with something with this but not logan, especially since he was the one to take your virginity on your eighteenth birthday.

“If you’re okay with it, you’re the only one I could ever trust with teaching me.” You spoke.

Logan would be lying if he said he didn’t feel himself growing hard at the sight of your doe eyes and pouted lip, he coughed slightly as he adjusted his shorts.

“I’ll help, as long as you’re comfortable with it.” He spoke, eyeing the way your thighs slowly rubbed together and you pulled your lip between your teeth.

“I-I’m okay with it.” You nodded as a deep blush blossomed on your cheeks.

Logan noticed the way your fingers reached for the skirt of your dress and began to pick and pull at the threat, something you did when you got anxious.

“Come here pretty girl.” He spoke up, beckoning you his way with a finger.

You stood on shaky legs as you made your way to stand between his legs.

“On your knees for me.” He spoke softly as he placed a throw pillow down for your knees.

Nerves filled your chest as you did as he said, knees coming into contact you looked up to find his light eyes darkened with lust but looking at you with nothing but care.

“Good girl, now I need you to take it out.”

You nodded as you reached for the waistband of his workout shorts, sitting up high on your knees you pulled at the material as he lifted his lips to help you get them down.

You bit your lip as his bulge was revealed, his hard cock pressing against the confines of his black boxers, desperately seeking a release.

You reached for his boxers next, taking a deep breath before you pulled them down. Logan smirked at the gasp that escaped you once you caught sight of his hard cock.

While it wasn’t the first time you’ve seen it, it had been a long time and you’d forgotten just how thick he actually was.

“Logan are you sure I can take it?” You asked worried, looking up at the boy.

Logan did his best not to moan at your words but there was no hiding the way his cock twitched at them.

“We made it fit last time didn’t we?”

You blushed at his words as the memories of the last time you two had been together came rushing in, the way he took his time and fucked you until you had tears streaming down your face and your legs were numb.

That was his birthday last year, you’d spent the dinner by his side and when you returned home he opened the expensive bottle of wine gifted from his team and one thing lead to another in the comfort of his bed.

“Spit in your hand and move it up and down.” He instructed. “Just like that, so good baby.” He groaned as your warm hand wrapped around his swollen cock, moving slow and firm.

You admired the brunette from your spot between his knees, watching as every movement of your hand drew small whimpers and groans deep from his throat.

Logan’s eyes quickly shot open at the feeling of your tongue leaving kitten licks at the tip of his cock, a moan coming from you at the taste of his precum.

“That’s it baby, put it in your mouth for me.”

You did as he said opening your mouth wide and slowly sliding his cock inside your mouth, taking him little by little.

Logan’s fingers gripped the couch below him as he takes in the feeling of your hot wet mouth, a growl coming from his as the sounds of your gags fill his living room.

“Take your time and breathe through your nose.” Logan speaks, a hand tangling into your hair to keep you where you are.

You listen to him and exhale a deep breath through your nose before opening your jaw even wider and sliding down until your nose his the hairs resting at the base of his cock.

“Such a good girl, fuck.” He sighed as you moved back up the length of his cock, tongue tracing the vein that ran along the bottom side of his cock.

He pushed back the few strands of hair that had fallen into your face as the sounds of your gargling filled the air. His eyes were locked on you as you slowly moved your mouth on his cock.

“A little faster baby, you’re doing so well.” He shivered as you quickly listened and soon your hand was joining your mouth as your head bobbed.

Logan threw his head back at the sensation, his hands pulling hard on your roots as he felt his abs clenching.

“You’re incredible, shit, so good.” He babbled as his eyes locked with yours.

His stomach clenched as he watched you pull your mouth off his cock completely, a smirk taking over your face as you leaned down to place kissed all along his shaft.

“Oh fuck me” he breathed.

You let out a giggle at his words before you took him back into your mouth, his thick shaft heavy against your tongue as his tip hit the back of your throat.

With a wide jaw you took him down your throat once again, basking in the way his deep groan filled the room and his head fell back.

You resumed your earlier pace, bobbing your head while your tongue ran all along the underside of his shaft, paying extra attention to the pretty veins that ran along his cock.

“Shit, can I fuck your face baby? Please, I’m so close” he groaned.

You let out a hum of agreement and you swore you’re never heard him cheer like that before.

“Tap my thigh if you need air.” He spoke and before you knew it his hands were directing your head up and down on his cock as his thighs bucked slightly.

Deep whimpers and sighs floating through his lavish living room, you could tell he was getting close as his sounds got higher and his thrusts got wilder.

“Oh fuck, such a good girl letting me fuck your face like this. I’m so close.” He cried.

The sounds of your Gags egged him on as he continued to fuck your throat, your saliva had soaked his lap and the cushion below him but he couldn’t find it in himself to care.

You choked as his hips stuttered a deep moan filling the room as he held your head in place. The feeling of his cock twitching on your tongue while his cum filled your mouth had your thighs rubbing together in the dirtiest of ways.

“Fuck, you don’t have to swall-“ Logan’s heart stuttered as he felt you swallow around him and slowly pull off of him.

He swore he could go again as he took in the sight below him, your perfect makeup was now ruined, mascara running down your face while your lipstick was smudged and had no doubt left a ring around his cock.

“Did I do good?”

Logan cursed under his breath at the scratch in your voice he reached down for your hands to guide you into his lap, not caring to tuck his cock away.

“You did amazing baby, you were such a good girl for me.” He smiled at you pulling you in for a kiss but frowning when you pulled back before his lips could touch yours.

“What’s wrong?”

“You came in my mouth..are you sure you wanna taste that?” You mumbled shyly.

Logan didn’t give you a vocal reply, instead pulling you down and slipping his tongue into your mouth. His lips moved against your softly while his hands ran along your body groping softly at the softness of your ass.

The brunette only pulled away when he felt you slowly grind down on his hardening cock, “You need some help sweetheart?” He smirked at the blush that blossomed on your cheeks.

“Only if you want.” You shrugged.

“Trust me, I really fucking want to.” He smirked before laying you down on the couch and moving his head between your thighs.

_

[ms-demeanor]

I apologize, do you know anything about "rugged" laptops? I'm an ADHD college student who has a lot of difficulty with spacial awareness and stuff so I have trouble with delicate laptops that break if you set them down too hard and I'd like something that can handle basic coding requirements (R studio, Jupiter Notebook, etc), and preferably can stream video for classes as well, though that's less of a requirement. I emergency ordered a cheap lower-spec used rugged laptop from eBay because my laptop isn't working, but I was wondering if a.) you think the whole thing is a gimmick and there's an easier way to get what I need and b.) if it's not a gimmick which ones actually do what they need to. Thanks!

Rugged/Ruggedized laptops are absolutely not a scam, they are incredible, it's just that the ones that are actually rugged are incredibly expensive.

I have a small collection of used Panasonic Toughbooks that are absolutely positively not functional as modern computers but work great for slowly connecting to the internet and running a word processor or programming radios. They are literally used lineman's computers and are supposed to be able to survive falling off a telephone pole. They're dustproof, so they're great to use in the desert. If I tried to edit raw image files on them they would go on strike. I'm pretty sure I could use one as a hammer.

You CAN get used or refurbished ruggedized laptops that are useable; here's a site that sells them. BUT. BUT. You're still going to be paying a high price for computers that are slower and more limited than a cheaper, more delicate computer.

So basically you're combining two separate needs here and they're not playing together great. A rugged laptop can be a great thing to have if you're the kind of person who drops your phone ten times a day (me!) But it's going to be slower and more cumbersome than a lot of what is on the market and it's going to cost a lot.

Honestly in your situation I'd probably focus on getting better performance specs out of a thinner, cheaper, lighter laptop and maybe maximize performance at the lowest price possible if you know you're a laptop destroyer (there's a reason my phones are always whatever's cheapest and in a protective case; I drop them so frequently and so creatively that I can't afford to have nicer phones).

Either that or throw power into a desktop and get a chromebook or something similarly cheap to carry around campus and have your real working computer live on a flat surface that never moves.

If you're trying to find a middle ground, business-class computers can take a bit more abuse than the flimsiest cheapie student computers because they're meant to last and are expected to move around. ThinkPads are my fallback rec for a bunch of reasons, and "sturdiness" is one of those reasons, but a business desktop is not going to tolerate being dropped. So it depends on what level of sturdy you need.

From an ADHD management perspective, you might want to consider your habits around how/where the computer gets moved; don't put it in a backpack if you're likely to drop your backpack on the ground when you get to class. Don't put it on the arm of a chair if you'll forget and knock it off the chair. Don't put it on your bed if you'll forget and sit on it. Make very specific landing spaces and very specific rules for how it gets moved and where it can go (my laptop can only go in one specific backpack and only if it's totally turned off; my laptop cannot be moved when open, i need to shut it before I carry it someplace; my laptop is not allowed on the bed or the center of the couch, it is only allowed on my desk or on the arm of the couch; I tend to set my laptop down hard so I don't set it down on my desk, it gets set on a stand. Etc, etc, etc)

Hopefully that's at least somewhat helpful. I wish that real rugged computers were more affordable and had better performance specs; if you can find one that will perform to your needs and you can function with linux, you may be able to get a toughbook or something like that for under a thousand dollars but you'll sacrifice processing power to get one that old. Good luck, I'm sorry!

[wistericaine]

'golden girl's hoodie' | james potter

streamer!james x streamer!reader | fluff | wc: 457

summary: james wears your merch on stream

James knew that he was going to get clipped.

You had recently released a new merchline for your viewers—a project that you had been working on for hours. Endless hours, truly. Between contracts and producing and designing, he knew that you were exhausted.

So, he decided to do a bit of the promotion for you.

Not to say that you hadn’t done any, or that yours wasn’t adequate. It was more than adequate, if he was being honest. He just really wanted to help.

And maybe wear your merch on stream.

“Yes, chat. I know, chat.” he chuckled. The chat had been flooding with messages about the hoodie he was currently wearing, most of the fandom not even knowing that the two of you interacted. The ones that did were most likely getting a karma of some sort. He knew that they had been shipping the two of you together for a while now. 

“Do you not like it?” he raised an eyebrow, standing up so that the chat could see it better. “There’s other designs, of course. This one just fit me better.”

Said hoodie also had been signed by you right at the bottom of the logo, your signature sticking out in bold white littering. 

He laughed at the way that the chat seemed to move even faster at the sight. 

“You guys are ridiculous.” he rolled his eyes. “Make sure you go buy some!”

“Jamie?” you called out.

James turned around the corner, toothbrush in mouth as he let out a garbled ‘yes love’ to you. 

“Did you happen to promote my hoodie recently?” you asked James curiously. 

The two of you were meant to be having a relaxed and calm breakfast that morning. A respite from the marketing and the meetings that you’ve been having to do the past couple of weeks in order to get merch and events booked.

The keyword here was meant.

Almost as soon as you sat down, your inbox had been flooded more than it had ever been. Mentions of you and James, your merch, and a hoodie were the only things that you caught before deciding to just mute Twitter for the day.

“Uh—” he mumbled, spitting out the toothpaste before flashing you a toothy grin. 

“James.” you sighed fondly.

“It’s comfortable!” he defended himself. “Listen, I was only going to wear it on stream because we were playing a horror game. It’s not my fault they kept pointing it out.”

“Did you have to point out the fact I signed yours specifically?” you asked. 

He rolled his eyes at that. “Semantics.”

You rolled your eyes back. “You’re ridiculous, Jamie.” you laughed.

“Your kind of ridiculous thought.” he winked at you. How right he truly was.

hello everyone, i hope you guys enjoyed! i've recently been falling in love with the idea of the marauders as streamers, so i'm making aus for them! if you can't tell by my posts, i have thought a lot about this au in the past 24 hours. original inspo for this au. thanks so much for reading!

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© wistericaine 2025. do not copy, translate or claim any of my works as your own. reblogs + comments are so very appreciated!

[nina-ya]

Digital Temptations

Synopsis: You and Zoro are roommates with opposite schedules. You spend your alone time in the apartment streaming on a camgirl site to make some extra cash. One day Zoro finds out about your little secret and can't help but indulge. CW: AFAB reader, use of sex toys, masturbation (reader and Zoro), fingering, oral (male receiving), orgasm denial, unprotected sex, creampie i think I covered it all let me know if i missed anything! WC: 5.6k Tagging: @tetzoro @eelnoise @sleepymarimo @faglegsanji and thank you @uminozerol and @nc-vb for helping me beta this!!

Living with Zoro was a perfect arrangement, mostly because you and him had nearly completely opposite schedules. You worked in the evening, your job only allowing you to take shifts in the evening, while Zoro was a teacher at a martial arts academy during the day. This setup meant that the apartment was empty and quiet most of the time, and both of you had the time and space to do whatever you guys wanted. 

You often crossed paths, though. Sometimes he would come home early and you two would eat dinner together before you headed off for work, or if either of you had some down time, you might lounge on the couch together watching movies and just enjoying each other's company. These fleeting moments were cherished, each filled with easy conversation. You knew each other very well despite not spending a lot of time together. 

During the day, while Zoro was out instructing at the dojo, you found your own way of earning some extra cash. As a camgirl, you had developed a following online. The time alone in the apartment was perfect for you to stream without any interruptions. 

You had a routine: Zoro would leave for work, and you would transform into your online personality– something only the viewers behind the screen got to see.

As soon as Zoro was out the door, you would set up your space. You’d pull out your camera and lights, setting them up to capture every angle of your body perfectly. You’d lay out your favorite lingerie, picking the ones that had your viewers tossing their money at you. Today, you chose a sheer black lace set that left little to the imagination. 

After changing, you’d apply your makeup, much more dramatic than you would ever wear out in public since the harsh lighting washed you out. You’d do your hair in the chosen hairstyle of the day, finalizing your look for your viewers. 

Your laptop, propped on the edge of your bed, was already open and waiting. You’d log onto your account, checking your messages and comments left on your last stream. There were always requests, some more explicit with others. You were more than happy to oblige, especially when the requests were paired with the promise of payment.

Once everything was ready, you’d start the stream and watch as the viewer count began to climb. The chat would explode with greetings and compliments, your regulars eagerly awaiting the show. You would always start with some teasing, running your hands over your body, adjusting and playing with the lingerie to give them some glimpses of the skin underneath. As the show progressed, you would spread your legs for the camera, letting them see everything as you slid the vibrator inside of you. You’d often fulfill specific requests. One regular loved watching you bounced on a dildo in nothing but thigh high socks. Another preferred when you brought out the restraints, binding your wrists and pretending to struggle as you performed various acts. You’d oblige in them all, watching as dollar after dollar came through just for you.

To Zoro, you were nothing but his roommate who worked late nights. Little did he know, while he was teaching martial arts, you were on your bed, legs spread wide, putting on a show for hundreds of strangers. 

Zoro had his own way of unwinding after a long day at the dojo. He loved teaching martial arts to the students, but he needed to release his tension. While you were out in his evening classes, Zoro found his relief in the corners of the internet. Camgirl sites have become a guilty pleasure of his; a way to indulge in fantasies and relieve stress.

He had his favorites– girls who knew how to work the camera, who could tease and please in ways that left him breathless. One evening, he grew tired of the same routine. The live streams felt repetitive, and he found himself scrolling through the archives of past streams, hoping to find something different.

That's when he saw it. A thumbnail that caught his eye. The person in the image looked familiar. Too familiar. He clicked on the video, a sinking feeling in his gut as he let his curiosity get the best of him. The video loaded, and there you were, staring back at him from the screen, dressed in an outfit that allowed him to see way more of you than he ever has. 

For a moment, Zoro froze,conflicted. Should he be watching this? Was it wrong to invade your privacy like this? But his curiosity got the better of him. He didn’t watch the video at first, closing the browser and trying to push the image out of his mind. But as the days went on, he could not stop thinking about it. He could not make eye contact with you around the apartment without flashbacks to the few seconds of the video that he saw, knowing that he accidentally discovered your secret.

He eventually gave in. He found himself back on the website, clicking on the video again, his heart beating hard in his chest. He watched as you teased the audience, your hands running over your body, the chat exploding with comments. It was so surreal seeing you like this. This version of you is so much different from the person he knew. 

The more he watched, the more aroused he felt. He couldn’t help it. His hands moved to the waistband of his pants, fingers slipping inside to grasp his growing erection. He freed himself, his cock already hard from the sight of you on the screen. His strokes started slow, matching the pace of your movements, his breath catching in his throat as he watched you slide the vibrator over your most sensitive spots. 

Zoro’s hand moved faster as you spread your legs for the camera, the sight of you pleasuring yourself driving him mad. He imagined what it would be like to be there with you, to touch you, to feel what it’s like to be inside of you. His strokes grew more urgent, grip tightening around his shaft. 

He then watched as you pulled out a dildo, sliding the toy inside of you, watching as your face contorted with pleasure, and listening to each and every one of those pretty moans of yours. His hand pumped faster, his hips bucking into his fist. His gaze was locked onto the screen as you brought yourself to your orgasm, watching as your body shook as you clenched around the toy--the faces you made, the sounds you produced, the way you looked; it was all music to his ears. The sight of you so lost in ecstasy pushed him over the edge and a low groan escaped his lips as he came, his cum spilling over his hand. He continued to stroke himself, milking every last drop, his eyes never leaving the screen. He was left trembling, his chest heaving with each breath. 

He closed the video, feeling a mix of guilt and satisfaction. Watching you had awakened something in him, something he couldn’t ignore. He knew how wrong this was, but he couldn’t help himself. You were his roomate, his friend, but now you are the star of his fantasies.

Zoro couldn’t get you out of his head. It’s as if a switch had been flipped inside of him, one that he could not turn off no matter how hard he tried. Each day after that first video, he found himself sneaking back to a site, searching for more of your past streams. It became a nightly ritual: you would leave for your evening classes, and Zoro would settle into his room, laptop open, itching to find the next video of you. 

The guilt gnawed at him, but the pleasure he derived from watching you overpowered it. Each and every video was a deeper dive into you. He watched as you used different toys, different positions, each one driving him crazier than the last. He studied every detail of your body, memorized the sounds you made, the ways your body would react to certain stimulations. 

It wasn’t long before he built a habit. Every evening, without fail, he would find himself with his hand wrapped around his cock, gaze glued to the screen as you performed. He’d fuck his fist to the sight of you every night, and each orgasm was even more intense than the last. 

The guilt became harder to bear in person. During those rare moments when your schedules overlapped, Zoro found it difficult to look you in the eyes. He couldn’t shake the image of you on screen, the sounds of your pleasure bouncing in his mind. When you would sit across from him at dinner, chatting about your day, he would nod along, but his mind would drift back to the videos, to the things he had seen you do.

He began to watch you more closely around the apartment, stealing glances when he thought you weren’t looking. When you’d bend over to grab something from the fridge, his eyes would trail down to your ass, imagining lifting your skirt and taking you right there. If you were doing laundry, he found himself fantasizing about bending you over the washing machine, your moans and cries muffled by the sound of the spin cycle. Even mundane tasks like washing dishes became erotic in his mind; he’d imagine coming up behind you, pressing himself against you as he tore your clothes off. 

The fantasies were constant, and he couldn’t escape them. Each time he looked at you, the scenes that played out in his mind were vivid and intense. He was drowning in his desire for you.

As fate would have it, one afternoon, Zoro came home quite early from work, an unexpected event that gave him the afternoon free. You were surprised to see him walk through the door, but you both fell into your usual comradery, sharing lunch together and chatting. The tension that had been building in his mind was ever so present, but he had to push it aside in your company. 

As the afternoon wore on, you glanced at the clock and realized you needed to start your stream soon. The realization that Zoro would be home while you streamed had anxiety bubbling up within you. But you couldn’t cancel, your viewers had come to expect your regular appearances, and you didn’t want to disappoint them. You scurried off to your room and quickly put yourself together.

A sense of nervousness filled your gut as you set up the streaming equipment. The thought of Zoro being able to possibly hear you made your mind race a million thoughts a minute, but you just had to stick to your schedule. 

You flicked the ring light on, and then turned on the camera. You took a deep breath, trying to calm your heart. You greeted your viewers with the usual smile. 

“Hey everyone. Ready for another fun night?” you whispered.

The usual routine started, slowly undressing and teasing yourself. Nothing much has changed other than your lack of vocalizing. Any moans that escaped your lips were soft, barely able to be picked up by the microphone, and you often bit your lip to prevent any other noises from escaping. As you slid a dildo inside of you, your breath hitched, and you almost whined out, but stopped when you remembered that Zoro could be listening.

A comment popped up on the screen: “why are you so quiet tonight?”

You stared at the comment, and your eyes then flickered at the wall that separated you from Zoro’s room. “My roommate is home tonight,” you muttered. “I have to be quiet.”

Another comment: “Does he know what you do?” 

You shook your head, softly laughing. “No, he has no idea,” you whispered.

As you continued to fuck yourself with the dildo, you couldn’t help but let out a soft whimper. The toy felt so good inside of you, but you just had to keep it down. You moved slowly, savoring every inch, every ridge, every vein as it slid in and out of you, your eyes fluttering shut as you concentrated on keeping your voice low.

“I bet your roommate would love to see this,” another viewer commented. You almost paused your movements, caught off guard by the thought of Zoro watching you like this, but you played into the idea, since other viewers seemed to be goading you on to talk about your roommate more.

Unbeknownst to you, Zoro was on the other side of the wall doing just that: watching you. He had the live stream opened on his laptop, headphones in his ears, as he watched you. He was rock hard, eyes blown with arousal, watching you as you fuck yourself, the knowledge that you were on the other side of the wall driving him mad.

He couldn’t help but palm himself through his pants, breath catching in his throat as he watched you. His thoughts were interrupted by your next words.

“You know, my roommate, he’s quite the built man,” you started. “He’s probably bigger than this old piece of silicone.” He watched as you moved the dildo deeper, the stretch making you gasp softly. Your hips bucked against it, and you had to bite your lip even harder to keep quiet. “He’d probably fuck me like this,” you nearly moaned out to the audience, your eyes half-lidded with lust. “Slow at first, then much, much harder… until I can’t help but cum all over his cock.”

With his free hand, Zoro couldn’t help but give in and start typing out “Tell us more about this roommate of yours.”

Your eyes scanned over the comment, “He’s strong,” you whispered, sliding the dildo in deeper. “I bet he’d pin me down and fuck me hard, just like this,” you emphasized your words by diving the dildo rougher into your cunt, using your free hand to cover your mouth to muffle any moans that escaped.

This sent Zoro’s hands flying to unbutton his pants. He freed himself, his hand wrapping around his throbbing cock as he watched you. The thought of you imagining him while fucking yourself was almost too much, and he stroked himself in time with your movements, his gaze never tearing from the screen. 

“He’d probably take control,” you continued, your voice in a trembling whisper. “He wouldn’t hold back, would make sure I feel every inch of him. I bet he’d love to watch me fall apart, love seeing how desperate I would get for him.”

Zoros hand moved faster along his length, the sight of you fucking yourself while fantasizing about him was making his head spin. His fingers flew over the keyboard again, typing out “bet you would look good wearing nothing but his red and white striped button up.”

Your eyes glanced over the comment, and you breathlessly laughed, “Yeah, maybe I should wear that striped…” your movements slowed down, and your breathing slowed down as a look of confusion crossed your face. Then, with no warning, you pulled the dildo out of you and launched over to your computer to stop the stream. 

Fuck.

You had realized that the commenter in question was Zoro. That comment about the striped shirt was too specific. Who else in the world would know that information but him?. You grabbed a large t-shirt and tossed it over your head, barely covering yourself as you stormed out of your room and down the hall to his.

You barged into Zoro’s room without knocking, catching him frantically trying to adjust his pants. His laptop was still open, the streaming website on full display. 

“Zoro!” you exclaimed, your voice a mix of anger and embarrassment. 

He looked at you, eyes wide with panic. “I- uh…” he trailed off, unable to find any words that could save him.

“You were watching me!” you accused, your chest heaving with emotions. “How long have you been watching?”

Zoro’s mouth opened and closed, his usual composure having shattered. “I found one of your old streams on the website, and, well…” he trailed off again, face flushed with embarrassment.

“You’ve been getting off to me,” you said, more a statement than a question. “This whole time.”

Zoro swallowed hard, nodding slightly, eyes darting to the ground. “Yeah…”

You couldn’t deny all of the times that you had fantasized about him, either. He was your muse, and the thought of him fucking you was what got you off every stream. Being faced with your fantasy, knowing that he also had the same fantasy, you didn’t know how to go on. You couldn’t pick whether to be angry at him or to pounce on him. The arousal eventually won. 

“I don’t know, I... I just couldn’t help myself,” Zoro stammered out.

“But you just couldn’t resist getting off to your roommate,” you stated. Zoro’s gaze met yours, slight confusion evident as he realized how calm you were about this.

You took a step forward, and with your voice lowered, “You couldn’t resist getting off to me.” 

Zoro was silent, watching as you stepped forward, stopping in front of him and locking eyes. Silence stretched between the two of you as you thought of what to say. Then, your mouth opened; you took in a breath,  hesitating before asking, “So… which part did you like best?”

This question caught him off guard. He looked at you with slight shock and he stammered, trying to figure out how to respond. “The… the part where you talked about me.” he finally stated. 

Despite all of the shock, all of the anger, you could not deny the arousal simmering beneath the surface. “Well, let’s take a few steps back before we reach that part,” you said as you played with the hem of the shirt.

His gaze followed your movements, watching as your fingers played with the fabric. He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat. “What do you mean?” he asked, his tone a mixture of arousal and confusion.

“You’ve been watching me,” you said, taking another step closer to him, your voice lowering to a sultry whisper. “Now, it’s your turn to show me.

The combination of the tone of your voice and your words caused a flush to spread across Zoro’s cheeks. “Show you… what?” he asked, though he had a pretty good idea of what you meant.

You took his hand and guided it to the bottom of your t-shirt, encouraging him to lift it up. “Show me what you’ve been doing while watching me,” you murmered.

His hands trembled slightly as he raised the material, exposing your bare skin underneath. He let out a shaky breath,his eyes swirling with desire as they raked across your body. “You want me to…?”  You cut him off with a nod. 

“Yes,” you whispered, leaning back to sit on the bed. “I want to see you.”

His eyes darkened as his hands flew to unbutton his pants once more. He hesitated for a moment, his gaze meeting yours, in search of any sign of hesitation or uncertainty from you. But all he saw was the same arousal and yaerning that mirrored his own.

With a deep breath, he dropped his pants down to his ankles, freeing his throbbing erection. You couldn’t help but gasp softly at the sight, your eyes widening in appreciation of him. “Zoro…” you breathed out, reaching to touch him. 

He shuddered at the contact, his hips bucking involuntarily into your hand. “I want to see you touch yourself,” you told him, your voice laced with anticipation. “Just like you did when you were watching me.” You shifted to lay back on the bed, bare body on display for him to gawk at.

Zoro’s breath hitched as he wrapped his hand around his cock, his strokes slow at first. His eyes never left your body. “Like this?” he asked, his voice low.

You nodded, your own arousal growing by the second. “Yes. Just like that”

His strokes grew faster, breath coming out in ragged gasps as he looked at you. The sight of him pleasuring himself, knowing that he had been doing this while watching you, was almost too much to bear. Your own hand moved to your dripping core, your fingers dipping into your wetness as you plunged them in and out, mirroring his own movements.

“Fuck,” Zoro groaned, his eyes glazing over with lust as he watched you. “You’re so fucking hot.” 

You couldn’t help but moan at his words, your fingers working faster as you moved to rub your clit. “Zoro,” you whimpered, the sound of his name on your lips almost sending him over the edge.

Suddenly, he reached out and hoisted you up, pulling you against him, his lips capturing yours in a heated kiss. The feeling of his body against yours, his cock pressing against your thigh, it was intoxicating. You kissed him back with equal energy, your hands quickly moving to take off his shirt. 

Zoro’s shirt hit the floor with a soft thud, and your hands immediately started roaming over his chest and abs, feeling the heat of his skin under your fingers. His mouth trailed from your lips to your neck, planting hot, opened-mouthed kisses along your throat.

You slid down his body, hands tracing trailing along his abdomen until you were on your knees before him. Your eyes locked with his as you wrapped your hand around his cock, giving a few, slow strokes. His breath caught in his throat and he let out a low groan as he watched you.

You leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on the tip before taking him into your mouth. You could feel his body rumble as he let out a groan, his hands threading through your hair as you started to take more of him, your tongue swirling against his length,

Your free hand moved between your legs, fingers slipping past your folds as you started to rub your clit as you sucked him off.

You hollowed your cheeks, sucking harder as you moved up and down his shaft, your hand pumping what you couldn’t fit into your mouth. “Fuck, that’s so good,” you heard him groan above you. “Keep going, just like that.”

You moaned around his cock, the vibrations making him shudder. You needed him desperately, evidenced by the way your wetness was building up to the point that it started to drip onto the ground below you. The sight of you on your knees for him, taking him deep into your mouth as you pleasured yourself, was a sight to behold.

But he wanted more. More than just your mouth. He wanted to be inside of you, to feel you squeezing around him. He pulled you by the hair off his cock, chest heaving as he tried to hold onto some semblance of control. “Come here,” he murmured, voice laced with desire as he lifted you onto your feet. He pushed you backwards until you landed on the plush bed, your body bouncing slightly on the mattress. 

You barely had time to catch your breath before he was on top of you, his lips crashing onto yours in a bruising kiss. His hands were everywhere, rough and greedy, exploring every inch of you. When his fingers found your dripping core, he didn’t waste any time, plunging a finger deep inside of you. You gasped against his mouth, your hips jerking up to meet his hand. 

“You’re so fucking wet,” he muttered against your lips. You could feel his smirk against your mouth as he added a second finger, thrusting them in and out, a squelching sound filling the air from the motions. You cried out when he curled his fingers to hit that perfect spot, back arching off the bed in your pleasure.

“Zoro,” you whimpered, your hands grabbing at his shoulders as he finger-fucked you mercilessly. 

He watched as your jaw went slack as he added a third finger, stretching you wide. The feeling of his fingers dragging in and out of your gummy walls was overwhelming; you could feel that familiar coil tightening in you as he hammered that one spot that had you seeing stars. You were so close, right at the edge-- 

“Not yet,” Zoro commanded. His movements stopped and he pulled his fingers out of you, a string of your slick still connecting you to his fingers. You whined out at the feeling of him leaving you achingly empty. “Just a bit longer. I want you to cum on my cock.”  He brought his fingers to his lips, licking your slick off of his fingers. The sight alone made you clench around nothing, aching for his touch.

“Turn over,” he growled. You complied embarrassingly fast, rolling onto your stomach and lifting your hips for him.

His hands gripped your ass, kneading the skin before he positioned himself behind you. You felt the head of his cock teasing your entrance, and you couldn’t help but push back against him, desperate to feel him inside of you.

“Impatient, aren’t we?” he mocked, his voice dripping with amusement at your actions. He grabbed your hips and, without warning, thrust into you, burying himself into the hilt with one swift motion. You cried out, the sensation of his thick cock stretching you completely.

Zoro groaned above you, “Fuck, you’re so tight,” his hands squeezing your hips tightly as he began to move. He started slow; you could feel every ridge, every vein, every detail of him as he pulled out almost entirely before slamming back into you. 

The room soon filled with the sounds of skin slapping against skin, and your combined sounds of pleasure. You could feel that coil tightening again, the familiar pressure building within you as he fucked you sensless. He leaned over you, his chest pressing against your back, “Touch yourself,” he ordered, “I want to feel you cum all over my cock.”

With that, your hand snaked down between your legs, fingers finding your clit and rubbing it in tight, desperate circles. You whined out, burying your head into the mattress below you, profanities and pleas spilling from your lips.

Zoro’s hand combed through your hair, tugging hard and pulling your head off the mattress. “What was that? Hmm?” he growled. 

You cried out, your head arching back. “Zoro,” you whimpered, voice strained and filled with need. “Oh god, you’re so fucking deep. K-keep going!”

You heard him chuckle behind you “I bet your viewers would love to see this.” he murmured, pausing momentarily as a groan escaped him. “Bent over, getting fucked sensless, begging for more.”

The thought made you clench around him, your walls tightening around his cock in response to his words. “Oh, you like the idea of that, don’t you?” Zoro taunted. He pulled all the way out, pausing momentarily before slamming right back in, making you gasp and cry out. “You love the idea of them seeing you like this, don’t you? Bent over and fucked until the only word you know is my name?”

You could only moan in response, your fingers working frantically on your sensitive bud as he pounded into you. “Y-yes,” you managed to stammer out, admitting to liking the idea. 

“Good,” he growled, his thrusts becoming even more forceful. “Maybe one day we can show them that roommate of yours you were moaning about.” He chuckled, amused by just how easily he’d turned you into a mess.

You whimpered, body trembling as you tried to hold back your orgasm. Zoro’s hand left your hair, trailing down your back until he reached your ass, grabbing it tightly before giving it a harsh smack. “Keep talking,” he commanded. “I like it when you beg.”

“Please,” you cried out, your voice  whiny and desperate. “Please, Zoro, l-let me cum. I need to.”

He chuckled lowly. “Not yet,” he murmured. “Hold it just a little longer for me.”

You sobbed in frustration, your body shaking as you tried to hold back. “Ngh~ I can’t,” you pleaded, your voice breaking. “Please, Zoro, it hurts-- I can’t hold it.”

“Yes, you can,” he snarled, his hips slamming into you with a bruising force. His hands slid up your sides and he firmly grabbed your waist, hoisting you up until your back was flush against his chest. One of his hands was firm around your waist, and one hand on your chest, squeezing one of your breasts tightly. "Keep holding it for me; you're almost there"

You were overwhelmed, so, so close to euphoria. “Please, Zoro,” you whimpered out,a desperate plea. “I need to cum. I need it so bad.” 

He bit down on your shoulder, pulling a gasp from your lips as he groaned into the skin underneath, the sound vibrating against you. “Fine,” he finally relented, “Cum for me. Cum all over my cock.”

This permission was all you needed. With a scream, your orgasm crashed over you, your body quivering as your walls clamped around him. The intensity of the pleasure was nothing like you’ve ever felt before; it left you seeing stars. 

“Oh, fuck,” Zoro groaned, his thrusts speeding up and becoming more erratic as he chased his own orgasm. The feeling of your hole squeezing him so tightly was the last push he needed before he was pushed over the edge. His hips stilled against you and he came, his seed painting your walls and groaning your name. His hips bucked a few more times as he emptied himself inside of you, holding your limp and spent body close against him, his body still shuddering from his orgasm.

For a moment, the room was silent except for the sounds of your heaving breaths. Zoro finally let go of you, letting you collapse onto the bed. He pulled out of you slowly, his softening dick connecting to you with a string of your shared fluids until it snapped. He collapsed beside you, panting as he tried to catch his breath. 

He pulled you against him, murmuring, “That was much better than I imagined.” He let out a breathless chuckle, the sound rumbling through his chest as you lay there tangled in each other's limbs.

You smiled, feeling a sense of satisfaction and intimacy that was far beyond what you had ever felt during your streams. “Yeah, it was,” you agreed, your voice soft.

For a few moments, you both lay there in silence, basking in the afterglow. Zoro’s hand gently traced patterns in your side, his calloused fingertips leaving goosebumps in their trail. “Do you think,” you started, your voice hesitant, “that this will change things between us?”

Zoros paused to think, his fingers stilling. “I believe it already has,” he answered. “But I like you, and I think you like me, too. We can figure out the rest together.”

You took in his words and nodded. “Yeah… I suppose we can.”

He smiled, pressing a kiss to your temple. “Good. Because I’m not going anywhere.” With that, he sat up, and offered a hand to you. “Come on, let's get you cleaned up.”

You tried to join him, but your body protested, a dull ache spreading through your muscles. You groaned, flopping back onto the bed. “I’m too sore to move,” you whined out. 

Zoro chuckled, shaking his head at you. “You're hopeless,” he teased. Without another word, he scooped you up effortlessly, lifting you into his arms in a bridal carry.

You wrapped your arms around his neck, resting your head against his chest. “Show off,” you murmured playfully. 

He carried you to the bathroom, the sound of running water quickly filling the air as he’d turned on the shower. “Alright, let’s get you cleaned up,” he repeated, stepping into the shower with you. He carefully set you down, still holding you up as you struggled to find your balance with your newfound sore legs.

You looked up at him with a playful glint in your eyes. “You know, I could get used to this kind of treatment,” you said, your voice teasing.

He smirked, his hand moving to grab the soap to begin gently washing your body. “Oh, I’m sure you could,” he replied. “But I think I deserve something in return.”

You raised an eyebrow, curious at his words. “Oh? And what would that be?”

His hands ran across your body, lathering you up with the soap, before they landed on your chest to give it a squeeze. “How about I get some more of you?” he suggested. 

You glanced down and you could see him hardening again at the proposition, and you couldn’t help but give in. “Are you really up for more?” you asked, a smirk playing on your lips. 

Zoro leaned in, his own brushing against yours as his hands continued to squeeze you. “I’m not the one who can barely walk right now,” he reminded you.

You giggled at his words, and he silenced you with a kiss, slipping his tongue in as he pressed you against the shower wall. “I guess we’ll just have to find out,” you whispered back, ready for whatever he had in store for the two of you.

[lovejongseob]

hcs of jongseob in a secret relationship with idol reader plss🙏🏻🙏🏻 love your posts

Fall in love again

Yess, I hope you enjoy !! And thank you so much, you're so sweet !! Thank you for the request as well 🩷

Personal:

Look, there's a reason hes on his phone all the time. Unfortunately it's not often he can be with you in person. When you're constantly training, working, on different sets or shows, in meetings, being styled, travelling, touring, and too many more things to count.. You aren't left with a lot of free time.

Face timing you as much as possible. Even if it's just for the thirty seconds you two both happen to be switching shoots, or getting fast touch ups done, he's calling you right away. Jongseob just really needs to see your face and hear your voice. When he's finally home, he calls you while he works or cleans up. Pretends hes sleeping next to you while falling into unconsciousness on call.

Photos when possible throughout his day are sent to you. They're a little blurry and seem quickly taken, but you know he wouldn't have taken them if he didn't care. His favorite notifications are image attachments or audio messages from you.

When you have the time, he loves playing video games with you. Closest to being with you without actually being with you, in his opinion. Loves voice chat while interacting with your avatar. His favorite are any dress up games because he can see your personal style more, and Minecraft because it feels like having his own life and home with just you.

Supportive of your group ! Has your entire discography saved on literally every streaming platform, and memorized unreleased choreography. Respectfully friendly if he ever gets the chance to meet your group members. Has had a dream about attending one of your concerts. Your vocals or rapping are his alarm clock.

Jongseob may or may not be a secret fanboy. Even if he wasn't before meeting or dating you, he loves you way too much not to feel like hes a fan of yours. And he respects your talent and hard work so much, none of this is easy at all, so he finds you so admirable. Social media alt legend, multiple Tiktok folders, Pinterest boards, would probably be an ao3 guy but believe he has a Tumblr fan page. You can't make any alts with your name included, because hes taken all the usernames already.

Public:

Optimally, nothing would be public. Best case scenario, the fans wouldn't even think you know each other.

Compliments your music if your group ever gets brought up, but hes moving on quickly. If there are any specific questions on how he feels about your group, hes answering vaguely. For example, if hes asked his favorite song, he'd probably just say the most popular one, and read a new question right after. In reality, it's an unreleased demo they have no idea of.

If you are put in a situation where you need to interact, hes polite, but short. He adores you with everything he has in him, and that's why you both have to act this way. Neither of you give fans the chance to speculate, you don't stay around each other in public, and you only interact when it's professionally configurated.

Even though it's uncomfortable, and makes him upset that he can't be open about his care for you, he loves you and his group members too much to put your careers at risk. You've both put in so much work, so you both understand nothing out there is personal, only the special and fleeting moments you share are.

Bonus Texts:

I found all of these on Pinterest !!

the other guy he added was theo. im not shizoposting in the a/ns yet, however i did just delete a full paragraph of me actually losing it over titling and formatting. so the time will soon be upon us.

[oneiriad]

Murderbot crossover ficlet

Jurassic Park, for @robininthelabyrinth

According to the tourist friendly information packages getting pushed at visitors in the Feed, the original terraforming had been a prestige project. The original corporation had wanted to show off their ability to not just terraform, but to worldbuild to exact and exacting specifications.

It had ended up bankrupting them.

And the corporation that jumped in with a hostile takeover. And the next. And the three after that..

Eventually someone got involved who didn't, so now they had a beautifully terraformed planet with five small continents, each a detailed and faithfully recreated tribute to a time period on humanity's original planet, complete with bioengineered fauna.

They could have just wiped out any hazardeous fauna, harvested the plant matter and started a farming colony - well, they did also start a farming colony - but apparently there'd been a lot of agitation from "save the fauna" campaigns.

At the end of the day the owning corporation had declared the planet 70% protected, with minimal industry - including a series of resorts, because humans are weird and it was conveniently located for a large chunk of the Corporation Rim to visit with not too much trouble.

All of which I already knew, because I'd researched it when Amena told me about how one in her friend group were apparently the offspring of a upper-mid-level manager on the planetary tourist board, and they'd been invited for a spring vacation at the Isla Nublar resort in exchange for advertizing rights.

Still, it was a well-established vacation planet, the on-planet security were allegedly experienced in keeping the humans away from the large fauna and vice versa, and local hospital statistics showed no significant differences from any other vacation planet.

So Amena (and her friend group) went, though not before there'd been adolescent sighs and "yes, Third Mother".

My threat assessment module hadn't really pinged on the entire thing.

Then...

ART entered the wormhole about half an hour after we received news of the attack. When we arrived, the atmosphere above two of the continents were appallingly thick with smoke, but fortunately the resort had not been on either.

The local authorities had not taken too kindly to a random university ship and their SecUnit butting into their raider attack catastrophe, but at the end of the day, once it was established that we just wanted to collect our particular humans and leave, they waved us through and focused on the bigger problem of two nextdoor business rivals offering their help.

So I lead a team down to Isla Nublar, were the buildings were singed and smoking and a raider landing vessel - well, half a vessel - was floating in the sea outside the safety zone. A vast shadow slid past underneath it, making me threat assessment module scream at me.

The safety zone fences and forcefields on land that were supposed to keep the resort and the continental land mass safely separate were down. Large flying fauna were eyeing us from the top of resort buildings and land fauna lurked inside.

The only humans were not alive, and most were half eaten. Ugh.

Amena wasn't among them.

Which could mean one of two things. One, that she had been scooped up as indentured labour to be as had obviously been the raiders' intention for the resort - except the evidence suggested that the raiders had run afoul of unexpected safety measures. A few obviously-not-uniformed-staff-or-ununiformed-guests were among the half eaten humans.

Then we found a barely alive augmented human raider and chased off the two-legged, chittering fauna that'd been determinedly trying to yank out his augmented eyeball. He was happy to be saved, less happy to be held at gunpoint until he told me what I wanted to know.

Apparently, the attack had gone wrong - a maritime fauna had destroyed two of their vessels, crashing one into the control tower of the resort, and fauna had come streaming in. He had crawled from the wreckage and managed to hide for a time, but noticed a few people grabbing land vehicles and heading along the safari paths towards the mainland.

He couldn't describe any of the refugees, but his augments had recorded them. There were clear visuals of at least two of Amena's friends.

I pinged ART, asking if it had had any luck getting permission to deploy its pathfinders.

"Negative," it replied. "The local authorities are stonewalling all external offers to re-establish the communication network as well. Considering the level of destruction, they are probably not wrong to worry about an attempt at a takeover."

If I'd been human, I'd have sighed.

Instead, I checked my large gun's ammunition level and turned towards the safari paths leading almost immediately into a densely forested area. Fauna was moving in the shadows of the foliage, and from somewhere inside something made a sound like a monster from one of my sillier shows.

"I take it we're going in?" Tarik said.

"Yes."

"I noticed a service garage of sorts half a kilometer back. Want me to take a couple of guys back, see if I can get us some transport?"

I sent one drone back with him and called the rest of them back from where they'd been swarming all over the resort.

Then, just as the first of Tarik's new jeeps finally approached, that monster sound came from the forest again, and this time the fauna making it stepped out.

It was a two-legged beast, easily as heigh as most of the resort buildings, and with a mouth big enough to snap a human in two.

Ugh. I really hate planets.

[1-800-local-slut]

Hi so I saw where you asked for invincible requests and I humbly ask for mark or any of the variants that you feel comfortable writing with black reader. Having them either help take her with her braids out or them being the type of boyfriend to learn how to braid for her. Reader can be another hero or a civilian I just really want a soft moment between them where he’s enjoying spending time with her.

Thank you thank you thank you!!!

Hi my love! Thank you for being so patient, I'm struggling with finals and work and everything coming up right now lol. But thank you for this request, I love it!

No Goggles! Mark Grayson! x Black! Mermaid! Reader

Notes: This Mark seems to be very hyper compared to the other Mark's (minus Mohawk Mark) so I tried to incorporate that into this! Reader is from an underwater kingdom. Her father was a merman, her mother is a human. She has water-based powers, and different anatomy than a regular human but she looks human!

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"My hair is longer than yours." Mark trolled from where he laid behind you. You were sorting out your hair, sectioning the strips you would need and placing it onto the hair stand next to you and rolled your eyes.

Only in his dreams, did Mark have more hair than you. Not to brag, but you were proud of your progress. After years of meticulous care, your hair was mid back length when straightened; a feat you thought you'd never reach. Mark kept his hair in a short but natural hair style with two pieces that hung down over his face and functioned like bangs.

Either way, you ignored him poking fun at you and continued on with your hair. Mark does not take well to be ignored. He was just...active. It wasn't his fault; Mark gets hyper when he's bored. And when he's over and you're not paying any sort of attention to him he gets bored.

As you worked your way through thick swamp that was your hair, Mark fidgeted around your bedroom. He was touching things on your bookshelf, sliding your window open then shut, turning your LED lights on and off (resulting in a forming headache), lighting your candles before blowing them out again, playing with your seashells. After you snapped at him to quit it, he found his way back to your bed.

"Babe this is taking forever." He moaned, long legs splayed across your sheets and his arms outstretched on the bed. The perfect space for you to go lay in.

"It takes a long time, you know that." You responded, focused on tying one quarter of your hair into a silk scrunchie.

"Why didn't you just go to Molly?"

"Because I don't have three hundred dollars to pay her for some boho braids. And her name is Mara. I think you knew that." You admonished him lightly, while he crossed his arms and pouted. He sat up in bed like a mummy while his eyes raked over your head. You had a lot of hair; that's how you always dreamed it would be. And if a consequence of that was your hair taking forever to do then so be it.

"You're still taking too long. I could be done by now!"

"You barely have hair." You teased at his gloating. You went back to ignoring him before he let out a huff of boredom and plopped back onto the bed.

Your laptop played some show that held your attention, but it was not doing that for him. You reached for your spray bottle to wet your hair before you had to blow dry it, only to find it empty. Mark was making some obnoxious sound while repeatedly slapping his hand over his mouth. If that kept him busy enough to stop bothering you, then you weren't about to ask him to go do something. Knowing him he'd get distracted halfway through and you'd find him rummaging around in your kitchen making some sort of snack.

Clenching your fist over the top of the bottle, a small stream of water flowed from your palm as you kept your mind steady to make sure the pressure wasn't too much. Squeezing your fist helped prevent further mess. Everything was going fine. Things were peaceful until they weren't.

Specifically,, until Mark decided this lack of attention would not do. It wasn't until you felt something wet and slimy go over your ear lobe, that you even noticed he had gotten up.

You heard his gremlin like laugh as you froze in disgust.

"DID YOU JUST LICK MY EAR?!" You screeched, hand flying to your ear to see if that just happened. The wetness of your skin was proof that Mark did in fact just lick you.

"No, I don't know what you're talking about!" He laughed.

Too much was going on. He was acting out, no doubt because he missed you and wanted your attention, but being annoying none the less. Your hair was taking forever to blow dry and detangle and protect from the heat, your back hurt. Your entire body felt sore from exhaustion, even the gills on the sides of your ribs hurt.

You were so close to singing a sweet siren song to lull him to sleep so he'd be quiet. If only he hadn't expressed his distaste for it in the past.

When he realized you weren't screaming at him in mock outrage, or laughing while attempting to playfully attack him, he stopped. Like a beach going completely still before a tsunami hits. He was bracing for the storm.

You felt like a pot left on the stove too long. You were starting to boil. A tense silence filtered over you two. Mark picked at his nails, terrified. Were you going to punch him? Throw an icicle at him? Or worse- break up with him?

No instead, you took a moment. You took a moment to remember that this was Mark. Your Mark.

He's annoying, he takes nothing seriously, he has no concept of personal boundaries. He'll bite you, lick you anywhere (like your foot one time which had you very startled), he'll even hold your hand while you try to take a shit. He's always by your side.

Yes, he's annoying. Yes, he's a pain. But you need that. Because Mark balances you. Despite your water-based powers, you were not a very 'go with the flow' person. Type A in every sense of the word, once getting so stressed that you almost had a heart attack over chicken pot pie. You were an uptight perfectionist, and Mark is always able to help you unwind.

He's always there to make you laugh when things fall apart. You failed your driver's test?

"Who gives a shit about driving? You're a mermaid, that's cooler than driving."

You fucked up and burnt dinner?

"I didn't want to hurt your feelings, but I totally wasn't looking forward to lasagna. Let's order some Chinese food, I'll get you that chicken you like." Even though he was so excited to walk around the grocery store and help you pick the perfect ingredients.

You went out to dinner with a group and feel bad about not liking the food? Who's in your face making ugly expressions at you mimicking disgust at the meal until you laugh? Mark. Who's obnoxiously rubbing his body against you in a horrible fake dance until you laugh? Mark.

So sometimes he gets a little hyper. He needs you to bring him back to Earth. He needs that. He handles you being uptight. You handle his...everything. Sometimes he just needed a challenge, why not give him one?

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"Okay wait I think I got it-"

"OW! I don't know if you know this, but my hair IS attached to my scalp!"

Mark waded through the pools of your hair, attempting to add the braiding hair to your actual hair. He yanked too hard, which resulted in your butt leaving the chair.

"Oh shit! You're okay, you're okay I promise." He hushed, pressing kisses to your scalp while you whimpered from the pain of being lifted from your chair by your hair.

Over the course of your relationship, you learned a few things. One of them being that Mark was good with his hands. While this was a punishment for his obnoxious behavior (shoving his tongue in your ear was the final straw), it kept him relatively calm. It was something for his mind to focus on.

"STOP STOP STOP!" You cried, grabbing his wrist and yanking your head from his grasp. His hands went up over his head in a cartoonish fashion.

You paused the tutorial, suspecting she was going too fast for Mark to follow. You waited for the throbbing in your scalp to stop while Mark made a face reflecting just how sorry he felt for causing you pain.

"Let's try again, okay?"

He nodded, while you unbraided your hair and motioned him to the front. Perhaps the back was too risky. He needed to be in the front where you could see him. More specifically what he was doing to your head.

"Okay. Do you see what I'm doing?" You asked while taking a small section of your hair that you had pre-parted for him.

"I see." He bent down, eyes squinting in focus. Your nimble fingers moved slowly as you put your hair into a braid, feeding in pieces of the false hair slowly.

He let out a soft sound of realization before he popped back up. Pinching the hair in place you silently placed a hand on his hardened stomach.

"No, pay attention. If you get too excited, you will hurt me."

He nodded and resumed closely watching your demonstration. After all, that's how you got hurt just a few minutes ago.

He watched you work on the braid, while your fingers quickly picked up speed. He kept his eyes on your fingers, even though you could practically see his brain attempting to keep his focus.

It was hard for him, but he did it for you. As you finished the braid, you noticed him glancing at the braids you had done and the piece you just did.

"You forgot the little dangly piece." He frowned, calloused hands finding your other braids and running the free piece through his fingers.

"I know, I just need you to understand how to do the main braid." You tapped the braid, and he nodded, still frowning.

"Can you show me how to do the dangly piece?" He asked, with a childlike disappointment. Despite his whining, Mark did love your hair in all its styles. You smiled, because it feels nice to know you man loved your hair as much as you did. No matter how much he complains about how long it takes.

"Of course I can baby."

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"Smile." Mark mimicked a cheesy grin, as he held the camera for you. It was 6 AM. The Sun rose behind you in the roof top, and you looked like shit. But Mark would be dammed if the first time he did your hair he didn't get pictures.

You were exhausted, your head throbbed, and your eyelids felt heavy. But you were done. After ten long hours, you and Mark did it. You finished your hair. Little dangly pieces and all.

[tobiasdrake]

Got Buffy on the brain.

Spike is an example of the magic of long-running series, which has more or less died out in the streaming era. Specifically, what happens when plans go awry. Because Spike? Spike is a plan that went very, very awry.

Spike was supposed to be a setup arc villain. That's it. That's all he was ever meant for. He's introduced in season two as the new scary Big Bad Evil Vampire. He's got a lot of charm and wit and some interesting characteristics but also he's killed two Slayers and is looking to add a third to his list.

Plan was that we have the Spike arc, then Buffy kills him in the midseason finale. Drusilla takes over as Big Bad Evil Vampire until surprise twist Angelus turns up as the true season villain. And that's it. Buffy fights Angel's entire little vampire sect and overcomes them and that's the season.

But Spike was spared his fate when he was just too likable to dispose of so quickly. He became a loose thread, kicked into the void for later seasons to figure out what to do with. Because this was back in the day when "We'll have another season to figure this out, we don't have to solve it now," was a thing you could reasonably rely on.

And then Angel got a spinoff, and they had to write him out of the show. That means we now have a void in the series. We need a new sexy vampire boy that the protagonists can have a fraught and snarky but generally positive relationship with when it really counts. And. Like. We have this loose thread over here....

And, as luck would have it, Spike had been written from the beginning to be a hopeless romantic. A vampire entirely capable of human affection, loyalty, and even selflessness for the people he loved. So it was really easy to slide him into a protagonist role and have him just pack-bond onto the protags now. All he needed was a restraining bolt to keep him from vamping it up. And hey, we're doing this arc about government labs and demon research soooooooo....

Spike is one of the show's most popular characters, and one of the things that makes him so interesting is the simple fact that he was an accident. He wasn't supposed to be here. He wasn't planned from the start, like Angel and Buffy were. Creative circumstances contrived to make Spike the path of least resistance.

And in-universe, he is a cosmic accident. His capacity for affection and loyalty defies conventional wisdom about vampires, which says they are just soulless husks incapable of true emotion. But the way it manifests as the series progresses is possible only because of the restraining bolt placed on him, which no other vampire has ever experienced, behaving in a way that it was not intended to function.

Spike is, both in and out of universe, an anomaly for multiple reasons. This was never the plan, and nothing about him as a character or plot point works the way it feels like it's supposed to. He is a walking contradiction of the roles he occupies and the rules of the setting. He's not supposed to be here, and moreover, he's not supposed to be.

And that is precisely what makes him so interesting, and captivates so much of the fandom. It's something that more tightly written series, with a limited number of episodes planned from the beginning, can never truly experience.

With other characters, with Angel or Buffy or Giles or Willow, there are surprises to be had. But they often fit very comfortably into their particular roles. But with Spike, you never really know what you're gonna get. Even his creators don't.

[stayteezdreams]

Ghost of Christmas Past

Plot: Due to circumstances neither of you could control, you and your first love were forced apart, never to see each other again. Or so you thought. Until one Christmas, years later, when fate decided to cross your paths again.

Pairing: Kim Hongjoong x Gn!Reader *no specific age is mentioned but the reader and Hongjoong are referenced to be within the 26-29 age range.

Warnings: Shitty parents, mainly shitty father. Both on Hongjoong's side and readers side, but Hongjoong's father gets better in the end.

Words: 4.5k

With all the strength you had, you tried to pull yourself away from your father's grip. You needed to get to Hongjoong, you knew you couldn't stop them from taking him away, but you needed to try.

At the least, you needed to say goodbye. To tell him you loved him one more time.

Seeing him being forced into his father’s car, your chest ached painfully as tears poured from your eyes.

"Hongjoong!"

As Hongjoong struggled with the man forcing him out of his home, his head snapped in your direction at the sound of your voice.

You were trying to get away from your father, who was holding you back. Your eyes were desperate, as tears streamed down your face.

Hongjoong pushed the man in front of him as he called out to you. "Y/n!"

"Hongjoong!"

Almost getting away, but being pulled back again, he cursed at the man, "Let me go! Y/n!"

As Hongjoong was forced into the car, he pushed and kicked, calling out for you again and again. His eyes burned as his heart broke. The car sped away, and he could do nothing but press against the window as he got one last look at you as you finally slipped from your father’s grip and you ran after his car.

You chased after the car until your lungs burned and your legs gave out. Watching as it disappeared, taking Hongjoong with it. His desperate pleading eyes from the back window being the last time you saw him.

As your alarm blared, your eyes shot open, the memory of Hongjoong being torn away from you fading as you rubbed your eyes. A familiar ache sat in your chest as you let out a sigh and turned off your alarm.

Sitting up on your elbows you thought back on your dream, well, it was more of a memory. In your dreams a few things often changed, sometimes your mother was there, sometimes Hongjoong broke free from the bodyguard and ran towards you, but never reached you. Sometimes you caught up with the car, but Hongjoong was no longer inside.

This time, it was almost exactly as you remember, though it had been nearly ten years since it actually happened, so it was all a bit fuzzy, though the pain of the moment forever remained.

Climbing out of bed you wondered why you dreamt of it, of Hongjoong. Maybe because it was nearing Christmas. It was around this time of year that he was taken away. You had a lot of plans for that Christmas, but you were torn apart instead.

As you slowly made your way through your morning routine, you couldn't help but relive the past. Your dream bringing forward the familiar ache of heartbreak.

You and Hongjoong were like a modern-day Romeo and Juliet, with a little less death of course.

Your parents hated each other, well, your fathers hated each other, your mothers were just along for the ride.

You and Hongjoong were taught from a young age that you were rivals, enemies, that you were to never be in the same circle. But that didn't last long. The second the two of you were able to think for yourselves, you realized just how stupid their rivalry was. Based solely on business and money.

In Middle School, you and Hongjoong ended up bonding over your annoyance at your parents. It turned into a friendship, which turned into a relationship a short time later.

By the time you were in High School, you and Hongjoong were in love, planning to run away together as soon as you were old enough. To live your lives together, away from your father's control.

Your relationship was held a secret until your third year of High School, when one of your fathers’ colleagues saw you together on a date. Once your father found out, all hell broke loose. You were forced to change schools, but that didn't keep you apart.

So lost in their own rivalry and hatred for one another, Hongjoong's father, when learning that you two would not be easy to separate, and growing more irritated with your father’s anger, decided to send Hongjoong away to attend school abroad.

That was the day you lost him once and for all.

One day, Hongjoong and his friend Seonghwa went back to his house after school. They were blind-sided when they arrived, finding all of Hongjoong's possessions packed up.

After learning what was happening, Hongjoong told Seonghwa to come get you. He wasn't sure he would be able to stop his father from sending him away. But if he failed, he needed to see you, he needed you to know he wasn't giving in without a fight. That he didn't want to leave you. He knew it would be his father's intention to make you think he left you.

You tried to get to his house to see him in time, but your father chased after you, stopping you just before you got there. So, all you saw was Hongjoong being shoved into a car and whisked away to who knows where.

For months you hoped you would see him again, find out where he was so you could call him, write him a letter, anything to get in contact. But your father's made sure no information about Hongjoong got to you.

Eventually, your father made a deal with another company and got transferred to another city. So, your whole life was packed up, and whether you wanted to or not, you were forced to leave the one place Hongjoong would know where to find you.

You spent hours trying to find where he ended up. Finally contacting Seonghwa, but learning his father even kept him in the dark. So, you never found him. Eventually, as time passed, the heartbreak faded into a dull heaviness in your heart.

When you eventually moved back to Seoul on your own, you found yourself outside of Hongjoong's childhood home. You weren't sure what you were really doing there. Nothing good could come of it. But you thought, maybe, just maybe, Hongjoong might be there.

But he wasn't.

The man living there ended up coming out to see what you wanted after he saw you staring up at his house from the road. He informed you that the family that had lived there before had moved a few years earlier, to where he had no idea.

Without any hope left, you gave up on ever seeing Hongjoong again. But Hongjoong was, and would always be, your first love. And whether you knew it was there or not, the hope that you might cross paths again one day would remain with you forever.

You had been in relationships since then, but none ever lasted very long. Even though you were an adult now, and knew your relationship with Hongjoong was founded out of childhood friendship and bonding, you didn't ever doubt, had you not been separated, you would have been together forever.

Stirring your coffee, you smiled softly as you looked out at the cold winter sky. Ever since you moved back here after college you had been alone. Your father remained harsh and mean, your mother uncaring. So, you spent most Christmases alone.

A familiar sense of melancholy and loneliness rested in your chest as you finally shook yourself from your thoughts to get ready for the day. Getting dressed; your eyes kept drifting to a red scarf in your closet. Giving in, you pulled it from its hangar and wrapped it around your neck. You ran your hands over it as you smiled at the memory it came with.

A scarf given to you by Hongjoong during the first Christmas you were dating. Yours and Hongjoong's initials were embroidered onto the ends. You wondered if he still had the matching one, he got himself.

Did he still think of you? Did he try to find you?

You sighed as you allowed the melancholic nostalgia to take over, knowing it would sit with you all day, just as it always did when you thought of Hongjoong.

As Hongjoong walked down the once familiar streets of the city, he felt an odd sense of melancholy. Many of the buildings and shops he knew were changed or demolished. The faces he once saw every day were replaced by strangers.

Stopping by the park he used to frequent; he looked around with a nostalgic warmth washing over him. He smiled as he saw the snow-covered roses. The snow was sudden, catching everyone, even the flowers by surprise.

He wasn't sure why, but they reminded him of you.

Beautiful, bright, but repressed under something so cold.

A melancholic yearning filled his chest as he thought of you.

A couple years after he was sent abroad, his father began to relax in his stubbornness. Maybe it was because he was aging, or the way Hongjoong shut him out after he sent him away, but he started to regret hurting him.

After he saw how heartbroken Hongjoong was, how distant he became after he lost you, he finally saw he was wrong. He apologized for forcing the two of you apart. For forcing a petty rivalry that went too far onto the two of you.

As a way to make amends, Hongjoong was allowed to return home when he wished. But unfortunately for him, it was still too late. You were gone. Your father whisked you away one summer, moving you to another city, and ending the connected rivalry between your families.

By the time Hongjoong's father found out where you were moved too, another way to try and make amends, you were gone. You had moved out of your family’s home and gone off on your own to only God knew where.

As sad as this made Hongjoong, he was also glad. Glad you were able to escape, glad you were able to be brave enough to leave. You deserved to be free. He only wished you found happiness along the way, even if it meant he wasn't a part of it.

Recently, he got a job back here in his hometown. Even though his family moved out of his childhood home some years ago, the area still felt like home.

Though he had no idea where you ended up, he had a hope that one day he might run into you on the streets you used to stroll down together.

You might not have any feelings left for him, you might be in a relationship, you might even be married. But he still hoped that he would find you again, if only to learn that you were happy. That would be enough for him.

No matter who he dated or for how long, you seemed to be the only one who would ever hold his heart. And he knew it would remain with you forever.

As Hongjoong looked across the park, his breath caught. He must be imagining it. It must be because he was thinking of you so much that he imagined it.

Even with this thought, Hongjoong's legs moved without hesitation. The hair color, the height, the scarf, the scarf. His quickened pace turned into a run as the figure disappeared into the crowd of passerby’s.

Your name was on the tip of his tongue, desperate to be called out, but forced into silence out of doubt. His eyes darted from figure to figure, but you were nowhere in sight.

He let out a shaky sigh filled with an ache he didn't know he still held so deeply.

"Y/n." Your name left his lips like a fading dream he was desperate to cling to.

It wasn't you. It was just his imagination. You weren’t here.

Taking a few deep breaths as he tried to get rid of the painful ache in his chest, he crossed the road, aware his eyes were still searching for you, though he knew you weren't there.

Absentmindedly he grabbed onto the embroidered scarf around his neck, gripping the soft fabric tightly as he walked down the sidewalk. Not knowing that if he had just looked back one more time, a familiar face would be turning back at that exact moment.

A tingle on the back of your neck told you to look, though you weren't sure for what. You had the most peculiar sensation that there was someone behind you, someone you knew. You turned expecting to see a friend or coworker, someone whose familiar presence you sensed. But none of the faces behind you seemed familiar.

Furrowing your brow, your eyes cast over the people walking around you, your eyes lingering on one figure for a moment longer than the others.

Shaking your head and deciding it was nothing, you turned back and continued to head to work, forgetting about the feeling almost as quickly as it crept up.

No matter how hard he tried to distract himself, Hongjoong's thoughts kept finding their way back to you. So lost in these thoughts, he continuously zoned out instead of working.

Jumping as someone smacked his shoulder, his eyes met Seonghwa's as he chuckled. "Why are you so distracted today?”

Hongjoong sighed as he spun back and forth in his chair, "I thought I say Y/n earlier, but I think I just imagined it."

Seonghwa let out a soft sigh, the memory of the day you last saw each other passing through his mind. He was just an onlooker, a friend with no power to intervene, but the scene hurt him. He knew how in love the two of you were, seeing you forced apart stuck with him all these years. Ever since he and Hongjoong agreed to work together here in their hometown, he knew Hongjoong had been looking for you.

He wished he knew where you ended up, but it was a mystery to him as well. "Are you sure you imagined it?"

Hongjoong leaned his head back, "I think so. I was thinking about them right before it happened. And I didn't see their face, I think they just reminded me of Y/n."

Seonghwa nodded softly as he gently patted Hongjoong's knee, "You're still in love with them, aren't you?"

Hongjoong looked back at Seonghwa and nodded, "We never had an ending. We were forced apart, the pain of that never allowed the feelings to die naturally. I can't help but hold onto them."

"Who knows, maybe Y/n will make their way back home one day. You did." Seonghwa said somewhat passively, not sure if the comment would help or not. He turned back to his own work, leaving Hongjoong to wonder if you hadn't already returned.

You stretched as you finally finished work, looking out at the soft falling snow. Taking out your phone to order an Uber, you hesitated before putting your phone back in your pocket. You would walk home. A walk in the snow might do you some good.

Your feet took you down a once familiar path as you set your eyes on the park you used to frequent. The slide and swings were covered in snow, no children in sight. It was out of the way, the opposite direction of where you lived, but you frequented this path on purpose many times. Just to remind yourself of the past.

The sky was a dark grey, the sun hidden behind sheets of clouds and snow. Kicking the snow from one of the swings, you sat down, swaying gently as you looked around the park.

You and Hongjoong had come here often in the past, it was your hide out spot to be together in secret. Youd bring snacks and stare up at the sky for hours.

'Why am I thinking about him so much today?'

You had an odd feeling in your gut ever since you had woken up from your dream this morning. Assuming it would fade you continued on with your day, but it only got heavier. Did something happen to him? Was your connection still so deep that you felt it?

Your wandering thoughts caused the pit in your gut to grow as you began making yourself worry about something you couldn't know the answer to. Sighing as you looked around, your eyes paused on the snow-covered roses. You smiled at the sight, finding it both sad and beautiful.

Hearing footsteps crunching in the snow, you began to look for the source of the sound, your heart leaping as a voice called out right as you spotted the person approaching you.

"Y/n."

He hadn't imagined it, it was you.

After work, Hongjoong declined Seonghwa's offer for a ride home, deciding he wanted to walk back home for some reason.

Wanting to walk through the park again, maybe to bring back some fond memories of you. The last thing he was expecting was to actually see you.

But there you were, sitting on the same swings the two of you used to frequent years ago. Your scarf wrapped tightly around your neck as you swayed gently back and forth.

As he approached you, his heart was pounding so heavily he feared it might stop all together. You were older, obviously, but he could tell it was you from a mile away. You were the same, you were Y/n, his Y/n.

Your name left his mouth like an unspoken secret desperate to be told. "Y/n."

How was it possible? How could he be here? Right now, at the same time as you? Was it really him? Of course it was, he looked the same. It couldn't be anyone else.

"Hongjoong?" His name was barely audible, but just loud enough that the sound of it made his heart jolt painfully in his chest. He had dreamt of hearing you say his name again for so long.

Suddenly, standing from the swing, your heart was beating wildly as your stomach fluttered nervously. The two of you stared at each other, as if afraid you might disappear with the slightest movement.

"How- Why are you- What?" Your voice was bewildered as you tried to put together what was happening.

Was this why you were thinking of him so much today? Could you feel that he was close by? That he was here. Was that even possible?

He took a tentative step towards you, his breath shaky. "I thought I saw you earlier today, but I convinced myself I imagined it, but you're here. You're right here."

He seemed just as perplexed as you, as if seeing you was the last thing he expected, but far from the last thing he wanted.

Thinking back to earlier in the day when you felt as though someone was looking at you, you wondered if that was what you felt. Had he been so close without you knowing?

"How long have you been back?"

You asked, nervously filling the silence as a thousand questions and words filled your brain.

"A couple weeks. You?"

"A few years."

He let out a sigh, he should have come back sooner.

His eyes scanned over you as familiar emotions washed over him again. He let out a soft chuckle as he couldn't help but grin. He met your eyes, and you saw them shining a bit brighter as so many emotions passed through them.

"You look good. Are you? Doing good, I mean?"

You nodded softly, letting a smile form on your face as well. "I'm..." you hesitated, even after all this time you felt like you couldn't lie to him, you never could. But you should. This wasn't the same anymore, was it? "I'm good."

Hongjoong's heart dropped at this. The tone of your voice so familiar to the childhood sweetheart that hid all their hardships as to not worry him.

His smile turned sad as he walked closer to you, stopping a few feet away. "Liar."

Taken aback by the sudden familiarity of his reaction you let out a sharp chuckle before covering your mouth. His smile turned into a grin again as his heart fluttered. Your smile was something he feared he would never see again.

Before you could speak, his arms were suddenly engulfing you. You caught your breath as you froze in his embrace.

As the smell of his cologne washed over you, you felt a familiar warmth and comfort you had long since forgotten.

"I missed you." His voice was soft, but burdened with emotions you felt the familiar sting of.

It had been ten years, but he still felt like home.

Slowly, you wrapped your arms around him, tears stinging your eyes as you whispered back. "I missed you too."

Hongjoong felt a heavy weight in his chest disappear as he tightened his arms around you. He finally found you again, he finally found his way home.

You weren't sure how long you stood there in each other's arms before you finally pulled away from each other. You swallowed nervously as he stared at you, studying your features.

He placed his gloved hands on your cheeks as he wiped away a stray tear. "We have so much to talk about."

You nodded in agreement, excited that so many questions could finally be answered.

"I have a question first though." He said softly and you rose your brow. "You aren't dating anyone are you?"

You paused for a second before you laughed. That was not what you were expecting his first question to be. You shook your head. "No, I'm not."

He grinned, a familiar mischievous twinkle you used to swoon over. "Good." Taking your hand in his he squeezed it before he met your eyes again. "Come with me."

Taking the lead, he led you out of the park and down the street. Even though you didn't know where he was taking you, you didn't care. In the past you would have let him lead you to hell and gladly follow him, and you learned quickly, those feelings hadn't really changed at all.

Sitting at Hongjoong's kitchen counter, you held your hand up, "Okay so, basically, your dad felt bad about what he did and let you come back home, but by then I was gone. Then, he tried to find me, and when he did, I was already gone again. And then by the time I came back here, you had left again??"

Hongjoong nodded and you let out a soft sigh as you spun your mug of cocoa around in your hands. "I wonder how many other times we missed each other that we don't know about." You mumbled and Hongjoong huffed softly as he sat back down in the chair beside you.

“Considering what happened today, probably a lot.”

You chuckled, "It's like fate was playing with us."

As you took a sip of your drink, Hongjoong admired you. You were still you, he was still him, it still felt the same, though the feelings in his heart weren't so childish anymore.

You and Hongjoong had spent the last couple of hours talking about what happened since the day he was sent away. And just as quickly as you met again, any awkwardness between you seemed to fade away.

Leaning back in your chair you let out a soft sigh, "I'm glad your father changed. He always seemed to love you but had such a weird way of holding it against you."

Hongjoong nodded with a soft smile, glad too, that his relationship with his father had changed for the better. He couldn’t help but wonder how he would react to learning the two of you had been reunited.

"What about your father? What's he like now?"

You shrugged, "No idea. When I chose to go to university for what I wanted instead of what he wanted, he basically disowned me. The last time I talked to him was about a year ago, and all he said to me was 'Don't spend all your time with friends, do your job since you were so determined to leave for it.'" You scoffed after you mimicked your dad’s tone.

Hongjoong frowned at this, "And your mother?"

"She texts me occasionally asking how I am, but I don't know how much she actually cares. I was in the hospital a couple months ago and when I told her she just told me to be careful not to miss too much work."

Hongjoong sat up quicky, "You were in the hospital, why? What happened? Are you okay now?"

You stared at him with mild shock before you laughed and waved your hands, "I'm fine! I just had a really bad fever and passed out at work."

His eyes widened even more, "'You just had a fever and passed out'? 'Just?!' That's not fine!"

You laughed again before you felt a sudden wave of emotion causing you to look away from him. You giggled softly, and Hongjoong heard a hint of sadness behind it.

"You needed me, and I wasn't here."

You looked back at him with a questioning gaze, and he looked at you with a sense of guilt.

"I was the only one who made sure you took care of yourself. You always get so caught up in what you are doing and trying to be what your parents told you to be, that you forget about your own health. And your parents still don't give a damn. You needed me, I'm sorry."

You tilted your head as you smiled softly at him, "It wasn't your fault Hongjoong. And besides, it was just one bad moment. I'm a lot better at taking care of myself, you'd be proud of me!"

His frown became a smile at this. Reaching out he gently caressed your face. "I am. I'm proud that you didn't let them tear you down. That you didn't give into your father's wishes. That you took your own path even if you were alone on it."

Turning in his chair so he was facing you, he gently grabbed your legs and turned you to face him as well.

"But you aren't alone anymore. I'm here now. And if you want me, I'll stay. I'll be by your side again. There's nothing that could take me away from you now."

Memories of Hongjoong leaving flashed through your mind. Mixtures of hurt, relief, heartbreak and joy washing over you.

"Of course I want that Hongjoong. You were my first love, my home, and those feelings never went anywhere. They were still here, in my heart. They were just staying dormant until we found each other again."

He cupped your face again as he smiled, his voice was a soft whisper "My first love. My only love. I'll stay with you forever this time."

You felt tightness in your chest as your eyes brimmed with tears. "Promise?"

Leaning closer, he nodded softly as he whispered "I promise" just before his lips met yours in a kiss both of you had been waiting ten years for.

No matter how long you would have had to wait, ten years, twenty, fifty, your heart would always belong to Hongjoong. Even if the wait was painful and long, fate was kind enough to bring you back together. And nothing would separate you again.

xx End xx

I'm pretty happy with how this one came out, even if I couldn't get it down exactly how I wanted.

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