#while drawing i had to take several breaks to take a deep breath

[chiyune]

whoa my hand slipped what happened

[rueclfer]

casual // touya todoroki part 3

when the boy you're in love with wants to keep it casual

a/n: so much happening in this one sorryy i just wanted to nicely wrap it all up lmao i need more soft touya/dabi content plssss i love u dabi fuckers but ur all so horny! <3 thank u everyone who was on ur knees begging for touya to suffer i hope i delivered.

part one part two

It had been about a couple of weeks since your outbursts at Touya's apartment. Since then, it's been eerily silent outside of the usual city noises- you couldn't even hear his footsteps at night anymore. For the first few days, you were living on eggshells around your apartment complex. Your window stayed locked with the curtain drawn, music would continuously be playing throughout your living room to mask any type of noise, and you rarely left your front door.

You were in a constant state of battle between your brain and your heart, but had ultimately accepted the demise of your relationship with Touya. After several "pep talks" with Toga, and her berating you to "stand the fuck up" and to get yourself together, the hope that you clutched onto slowly began to falter as the days went by.

"Like, look at this. Does this look fucking casual to you? " You whine to Toga, while scrolling through the messages Touya had been sending you since that night. She looked at you with sadness in her eyes.

"It pains me to see you this way. Him too." She pouts. "He has his reasons to not want anything serious, and maybe once his chokehold on you is gone, y'all can rationally talk about it, but PLEASE, Y/N, you're killing yourself by overthinking everything about your relationship with him."

You knew she was right, but you were still allowed to be bitter about it all. The universe seemed to enjoy the melancholic energy in your apartment as well as your sulking. Even with all of the windows closed, you could hear the storm coming down loud and clear.

You stood by your window for a moment, debating if you should open the curtains and enjoy the weather, or keep it shut to protect your peace from potential disturbance.

How much longer will I hide in this apartment from him?

You slowly draw the curtains back, revealing the melted gray skyline of the city, swallowed whole by fog and pelting rain. You open your window, and step out to sit on your windowsill, letting a gust of chilled wind sweep past your bare face. You take a deep breath of the cold air, savoring this solitude for a moment.

You had been properly ghosting him for a couple weeks now. You weren't sure what you would say to him when you would eventually run into him or decide to finally talk it out.

Something that worried you even more, was when you would eventually start going out with your mutual friend group again. Toga assures you that it would be fine, and that no one caught wind of everything that happened between you two, but that wasn't your main concern. You weren't so sure if you could pretend to be on normal terms with him anymore, especially in front of a crowd. The thought of having to continue pretending in front of him and everyone made your skin crawl with anxiety.

The scent of burnt tobacco in the air mixed in with the aroma of wet pavement emanating from the earth below pulled you out of thought.

You look up to see Touya leaning up against the railing of the fire escape with a cigarette in between his fingers, looking off into the city.

You take in a sharp inhale of air and snap your gaze forward, trying to find anything on the street to distract yourself. Maybe he didn't notice you, but his presence alone was enough to stop your breathing.

It's been two weeks, no contact, barely a glance. Do you end this now? Or do you try to silently crawl back into your apartment and pretend like you never saw him? You could just start with a "hey" or something. You asked yourself what would Toga tell you to do in this situation.

"What 'cha been up to?" He suddenly breaks the silence. "First time breathing fresh air in a minute?"

You purse your lips and glance back up to see him exhaling slowly and letting the tendrils of the smoke dissipate into the dark clouds, keeping his gaze straight ahead.

Fuck.

"The usual." You say, fiddling with the hem of your hoodie. "And no, I've been out and about."

Which was a lie.

There was an extended moment of silence. You almost guessed that he went back inside, but you didn't dare look up to check.

"You haven't responded to my texts." He cautiously says. "It's been a while, you know?"

"I know."

"You don't want to talk about it?"

"I don't really know what to say."

Another beat of silence.

"Can I come down?" He asks.

You glance up and meet your eyes with his, causing your stomach to knot.

"Sure." You sigh.

You guess you'd rather get it over with than let the anticipation of it sit in the back of your head for much longer.

He sat on the ground across from you, letting his back rest against the rails. He offers his cigarette to you, which you willingly took for the nerves.

You two sat in silence for a moment while you soaked up each other's presence, occasionally passing the cigarette back and forth.

"I fucking hate you." You finally say.

"Okay."

"But I love you, which is worst."

It felt like there was a sudden shift in the pressure on your shoulders now that you've said those words to his face, sober, calm, and intentionally. You felt more confident speaking about it.

"For our whole arrangement or whatever this is, I've always wanted some part of you that you couldn't give me. None of that was your fault, but I'm not sorry for it."

"You shouldn't be-" He starts.

"But." You cut him off, meeting his eyes. "I am sorry for how it came out. I didn't mean to villainize you when we weren't in a relationship, and we didn't establish anything. You don't owe me that just because I caught feelings."

He took a moment to make sure you were done speaking, in which you motioned him to continue.

"Okay, well, yeah you shouldn't be sorry for your feelings. Ever. And I never wanted you to have to pent it to this point, you know? I wish you could have told me about it sooner, but I get why you didn't."

"You knew I liked you." You cock an eyebrow. "You told me that night."

He sheepishly rubs the back of his head. "Well yes, and no. I found out you had an inkling of a crush, but that was when we first met way before we started doing this and it never came up again, so I didn't think anything of it. I seriously never thought it developed into... something more."

"I guess it's my fault that it exploded out like that. I just hoped that it would sizzle out. I wasn't ever planning on telling you, honestly. "

"At all?" His eyebrows furrowed in hurt.

"Would it have changed anything?" You cock an eyebrow. "We'd still be having this conversation."

"What was your plan then? If you weren't going to tell me?" He bitterly says, suddenly upset. "Wait for me to notice? Return the feelings? C'mon now, Y/N, you're better than that."

Ouch.

"Better than that?" You scoff. "Okay, then tell me Touya, one night I'm in your bed and we're rubbing noses, kissing, we're laughing together, and it suddenly comes out. 'Touya, I really like being with you like this, and you make me feel like a better person. I only want you. Let's be together.' What would you say?"

He pressed his lips together, suddenly quiet.

"If I'm so great, don't you think I deserve to hear it back from someone who feels the same?" You take a long drag of the cigarette, holding it in until your lungs burn. "Why would I put us in that situation when we both know you wouldn't be able to say it back?"

"Y/N, I didn't mean it like that. Of course you deserve it. You deserve it more than anyone." His voice falters. "It's all really complicated in my head right now, but I guess what I'm trying to say is that I wished you didn't let me hurt you like this. I genuinely do consider you to be a best friend of mine, and I care for you, so much. You know that right?"

You roll your eyes. "Duh, I know that. I've accepted this unrequited love for a while now. There were just some friend aspects that made the romantic aspects made sense and everything else confusing. Your siblings, visiting your mom with you, all of our talks- it just made things complicated, and not so.. casual."

"I'm sorry." He mutters. "About everything."

"I'm sorry, too."

After a second, you reach your hand out to him, in which he didn't hesitate to grab back. You didn't have much more to say, but this last physical exchange said it all.

I forgive you. I care about you. Take care of yourself. Don't be a stranger. I love you.

You couldn't help but sadly smile at this. This was the end of your entanglement with him, as long and messy as it was, you still hoped that he could someday meet someone to fall headfirst into- the same way you did for him.

"We're still friends?" You silently asked.

"Don't be stupid." He releases his hand from your grasp and lightly swats at your arm. "Of course we are. And neighbors, so terrorize me any time you want, and I'll do the same."

"Deal."

-

"So you don't like him anymore?" Toga asks, kicking her legs back and forth as she sits on the bathroom sink counter while Kurogiri goes at your hair with kitchen shears.

"I'll always love him, but I don't feel like I need to mourn what could've been with him anymore. We're fine, we've talked, and we're still friends. That's all I can really ask for." You shrug.

"And your hair? What's all this for, then?" You motions to your hair.

"Can't I just want a haircut?" You roll your eyes.

"Hair holds energy." Kurogiri suddenly says. "Cutting a significant amount off signifies an acceptance of change and the turning over of a new leaf."

"Exactly. Thank you, Kuro." You beam. "You get it. It's my symbolism for moving on, or some shit like that."

Another couple of weeks have passed since your last chat with Touya. You had seen each other in passing, and you've hung out at each other's apartment with the others. You were grateful that it all felt semi-normal. Everytime you were in a room together, you felt that there will always be a twinge of magnetism in your fingertips that's going to want to grab him and pull him towards you, but lately, you've been obedient and refraining yourself from getting too close.

"Your hair is so cute, I want mine short like yours now!" Toga pouts, fiddling with snipped lockets of your hair.

"You would hate short hair." You say matter-of-factly. "You wouldn't be able to put your hair in braids or buns anymore."

"I guess you're right." She murmurs. "You sure you don't want to go out with us?"

Kurogiri and Toga were preparing to meet up with Jin at the bar on your street. Of course they thought if they ambushed you at your apartment, they could drag you with them, but they couldn't have been more wrong.

"I'm sure. Be safe and let me know if you need to crash here or something, okay? Thank you Kuro, for the cut." You squeeze both of them in for a hug before ushering them out.

"Don't kiss any randoms, drink water, and slow the fuck down when drinking." You warn her. "Kuro, don't get in a fight, and tell her to fuck off if she makes you carry her home again."

He shoots you a thumbs up. "If you change your mind, you can always meet us there."

After the door shuts behind them, a long sigh escapes your lips. It was a Saturday night and you had no plans other than sweeping up the hair off your floor. On nights like these, you would usually be spending it with Touya, but things have changed now, and you were still avoiding spending one-on-one time with him like the plague.

As you start putting away the kitchen shears used to chop your hair, your phone goes off.

"Tenko?" You set the phone on speaker, continuing to sweep the ground.

"Please God, are you home?" He asks frantically.

"Yes? What's wrong?" His tones stop you in your tracks.

"We're upstairs. Dabi and Spinner can't handle their weed and are too fucking high. I need help before I start beating the shit out of them."

You deadpan. He's asking you to babysit on a Saturday night. You may be lonely, but not enough to have to deal with a few idiots who were on another planet.

But it would give you a reason to see Touya.

You missed him, but you had spent enough sleepless nights crying into your pillow about your loss. You still weren't sure if you missed pretending to be his, or the friendship you had prior to your confession. This inner conflict only drove you further away from him.

In the background, you hear craze laughing and crashing as if furniture were being thrown.

"Who are you talking to?!" Spinner's voice screeches from the background.

"Fuck off! Don't come near me!" Tenko cries, muffling the phone as if he was holding it under his arm.

"So you're all at Touya's? Who the hell is Dabi?"

"Dabi is Touya." He scoffs. "It's his gamertag, duh. Can you please just come over? I want to play league of legends and these fuckers keep bugging."

"Is that Y/N? Gimme the fucking phone." Touya joins in on the conversation.

"No!"

You couldn't help but laugh at his misfortune. Tenko had always been the most impatient and childish out of the boys, so it was satisfying to hear him suffer for once- especially when you knew that this was 100% his fault.

"So sorry baby boy, even if I wanted to, I can't. I have someone over." You lie.

You figured that a simple no wouldn't be enough to get Tenko to drop it. He's always had a sort of ick about hook ups and preferred to stay as far away as he could from hearing about his friends' sex life. It would also save you the trouble of dealing with them marching downstairs to bang on your window until you let them in.

"Fuck. Whatever, say less-" Tenko starts.

"WHAT?-" Touya interrupts before the phone hangs up.

You set your phone down and release a breath of relief. You applauded yourself for not giving in so easily. One step of many.

Almost immediately after Tenko had hung on you, you received a text.

You rub your temples, mentally groaning. You could never escape. You realized, as you stood by the window debating whether or not you should open it for Touya, that two weeks prior, you were in the same position- sitting in between letting him in or shutting him out.

Maybe nothing had changed after all.

You open your window, letting the click of it unlatching give him permission to enter your apartment. For some reason, your hands were sweating. You haven't been alone in each other's presence for a casual hangout in almost a month now, and you weren't really sure how to be a normal person around him without the others to act as the buffer.

"Thank god." He steps in and immediately shuts the window behind him. "It's so fucking cold, I was debating on jumping."

The moment he turned around, his jaw dropped. "Your hair." He gasps, covering his mouth with a hand. "Holy shit."

You sheepishly smile at the sudden reaction. "What? Not a fan?"

"Not a fan?" He exclaims. "I thought I liked the long hair, but wow. Fuck."

He flops down on your couch, still looking at you in awe. "God, you're so pretty. I'm nervous now." He chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck.

You roll your eyes, chucking a pillow at him. "Shut up or you'll scare off my date." You tease. "We're gonna finish up, but you stay here and be quiet, okay?"

His cheesing smile instantly drops. "You're fucking joking. Tell me you don't have someone in your bed right now."

"And what if I do?" You put a hand on your hip.

"Don't do that to me, Y/N." He pouts. "Kick them out pleaassee."

"You're such a baby." You sit down on the couch beside him. "I was kidding. No one's here. I just wanted Tenko to leave me alone, but clearly that didn't work out, huh?"

It was sadistic of you, but you did enjoy seeing him squirm at the thought of you spending your night with somebody else.

"Can't hate me for wanting a little distraction. You've just been avoiding me. Don't think I haven't noticed." He mutters.

"Avoiding you? That's a bit clingy of you, don't you think?" You joke.

You met his gaze to realize that he wasn't joking. At all. He had a pouty expression that only a child could master, and those bloodshot eyes were the equivalent to a poor puppy dog's.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" You asked, suddenly taken aback. "What's wrong?"

"If I tell you something, promise you won't hate me?"

Your stomach drops. You didn't have a clue as to where this conversation could go next and couldn't figure out what that look on his face really meant. You had been playing your cards right, kept your distance, maintained your friendship, what more could there have been?

"What is it?"

A beat pass. His lips parted, but no words came out.

"I think I'm actually at a 7.8." He slowly says, gauging your incoming reaction. "Like, a strong 7.8." He murmurs.

A chuckle escaped your lips. That dramatic of an expression just to tell you that he was really fucking stoned made your heart swell a bit and a wave of relief come over you.

"It's fine, Touya. I promise." You wave off. "I'll always take care of you, it doesn't matter."

"Well, no it's not just that. I'm at a strong 7.8 and I have to tell you that I'm having a lot of feelings."

You stared at him for a second, digesting what he just said but not quite getting it.

"I don't think I'm following."

His cheeks puff in frustration. "I'm trying to say that I want to talk to you about... complicated stuff, but I'm stoned, so it's going to come out sounding stupid."

You nervously chuckle. "Don't you think you should talk to me about it when you're sober, then?"

You concluded that you definitely should have kept your window shut and left him on the fire escape- to jump or to freeze whichever came first. You were mentally cursing Tenko for your misfortune of having to deal with this with no preparation.

"Why would I do that when it's easier doing it like this?"

"Because last time someone did that, it ended up in flames. You remember that?" You press your lips together. "Do you want water or something? Some snacks? At least to sober up?" You stand up, starting your way to the kitchen.

"You're doing it again. Avoiding- or an even better word, deflecting." He hums.

"I'm not avoiding or deflecting, Touya. I'm making sure you're taken care of and even more important, don't say anything stupid." You come back with a glass of water and set it on the table in front of him.

"But I want to say something stupid."

"Why would you want to do that?"

"Because it's easy in this state and I don't care about the consequences. Duh." He deadpans. "Sweet girl, we are going in circles here. Just let me speak. It's not like I'm totally incoherent or anything. I mostly still have full function of my brain right now....unlike you when you had a silly little something to say." He shoots you a side eye.

You bite the inside of your cheek at the nickname you haven't heard in what felt like a lifetime ago. You take your seat beside him again in defeat.

"Fine. Say your 'silly little something' then."

"Like I was saying earlier, I'm having a lot of feelings." He begins, waving his arms as he speaks. "You following?"

"Mmhm."

"And I'm having these feelings because you've been avoiding me- don't even try to deny it either. We both know you've been avoiding me. Anyways, this probaabbllyyy..." He draws out "..started about a week or so ago, so I've had a week to sit on it, but one day I was like DAMN. This shit sucks! And then I asked myself Well, why does this shit suck so bad? and I came to the conclusion that I..... miss you."

You stared at him for a moment, watching him fiddling with his glass of water and rubbing his bloodshot eyes while he anxiously waited for your response.

"Touya, read the damn room." You roll your eyes. "Okay so if I have been avoiding you, you realize that the time away from you was very necessary for me? I literally confessed my feelings for you, and you told me you didn't feel the same way. Which is 100% fine, but what am I supposed to do? Pretend like everything's normal and go back to hanging out with you like nothing happened?"

"Don't hate me." He murmurs, following up the silence that fell between you two. "I know it's selfish, but it's been hard and confusing for me too."

"I could never hate you, but I really would like to mean it when I say I'm over you. Just give me some time, okay? And then we can hang out and be besties again and all that shit. It's not a big deal to not see me for a couple weeks." You take a sip of your own water cup.

"I don't think we're on the same page right now, Y/N." He mutters.

Another silence falls between you.

"I don't follow anymore. What do you mean, then?"

"I'm having a lot of feelings... about missing you. And us." He avoids your gaze, looking down at his hands.

Us.

"Us." You repeat. "Okay? Keep elaborating." You slowly say, fiddling with your own hands now.

"I know I don't have the right to say this after all that shit that happened, but for a long time, it felt like what we had going on was really good and then all of the sudden it's gone. I knew it was for the better, for both of us, but then after these weeks of not seeing you anymore, it's like I lost you completely and I miss you."

Your stomach simultaneously twists, drops, and threatens to climb up your throat. You didn't know if this sick feeling was coming from anger or the years of yearning coming back to the forefront of your mind.

You reach over, and hold his hands into yours. "Touya, I'm going to hold your hands when I tell you this, okay? And I tell you this because I hold you so close to my heart, and want to continue to do so, but yeah you don't have a fucking right to say all that shit." You huff. "You didn't lose me, because you never had me. You never had me, because you never wanted me. You didn't. I don't hate or blame you for it, but I can't change you. Do you understand?"

He slowly nods his head.

His expression fell into sadness. You weren't sure if it really clicked for him, or if he was fighting his own conflictions about your mess of a relationship, but you knew that above all, you had to protect your peace.

"But what if I can change myself?"

"Wow, you really did miss me, huh?" You tried to lighten up the thick air that had fallen in the room.

"Tell me what I can do, and I'll do it." He squeezes your hands, scooting himself closer to you where your knees were touching now. "I'll change."

Your eyes widened in shock. "Seriously, Touya. You don't have to change anything- you shouldn't. Like I said, the distance made things hard and weird for our friendship, but we'll be back to normal, just give it time."

"Maybe let's talk about this another time, okay? When you're not high." You smile, trying to deescalate the frustration between you two. "We can turn on a movie or something."

"No, Y/N. You're still not getting it... and deflecting." He sighs in frustration. "Your normal is not my normal. My normal is being able to touch you and kiss you and hold you close to me and tell you how fucking beautiful and great you are. I want you to fuck up my hair and paint my nails, call me a piece of shit, your sweet boy, all of it. Tell me what to do to get that, and I'll do it."

You almost pulled back in shock.

"Touya. Listen to me so carefully. You. Don't. Want. Me. Like. How. I. Want. You." You say slowly. "We are friends. Friends don't do all that. There is no world where we can do any of that anymore. How are you asking me to do all of those things with you, when you don't feel more for me? I can't do that to myself, and you know how it killed me."

"Y/N. I will get on my knees right now if you want me to." He begins. "Listen to me, I've slept in my own bed every single night since you left, I've left my window and door unlocked for you, I've been waiting for you for the past month. I know I can be so fucking stupid sometimes, and not know how to talk about my feelings or go about a relationship, but I only want you. Okay? Please. I'm sorry it's taken me this long to realize that, but this isn't like how it was before. I. Want. You."

Your jaw went slack. You realize that this whole conversation had been a poorly navigated confession. Touya wasn't telling you that he missed your weekly hook ups and late night snuggle sesh. He was confessing to you and you had no clue how to take it all in. You had spent weeks trying to get over him- you've just cut off all of your hair for the cause, just for him to sit here and tell you that he's been yearning after you for the past few weeks as you had for him since the beginning of your friendship.

"Please." He grips your hands tighter and brings it up to his mouth. "Please give me a chance to fix it. I'll prove it to you. It was never casual. You do deserve to hear it back. I'm the biggest fucking idiot on the planet to lose you. Tell me you still feel the same way." He mutters into your knuckles with a sense of desperation. "Please."

You took a sharp intake of air. Letting this conversation sit for a second. You debated on asking him to leave and give you a few days, but knowing that Tenko and Spinner were still in his apartment, you couldn't do that to him.

"So, this is you telling me you want to be with me." You finally asked. "You have feelings for me."

He nods his head. "More than that. I want to be yours. And I want you to be mine."

"And not in the way that we were before all this. You feel the same way I do? Like everything I told you on the fire escape a couple weeks ago."

He nods once more. "If you've felt this tightness in your chest as if something is going to rip open at the thought of me not being there anymore, then yeah. The same."

"God, you really had to be stoned to do this?"

"I also wish I had a bottle of tequila and a pack of cigarettes right now, but this will do." He smiled. "I do feel like i'm going to shit myself, I'm so sweaty, and the cotton mouth is insane right now, but I like you so much, I don't want to fuck this up."

He cautiously reaches his hand up to tenderly cup your cheek, swiping his thumb across your lips. He pulls your head into his, letting your foreheads rest against each other.

"You're a fucking idiot." You mutter against his thumb. "So, so stupid. This was a lot, Touya."

"I know, and I'm sorry. I guess we're even now though, huh?" He chuckles nervously. "Um, so yeah I am still shitting myself because you haven't given me a response, sooo...what do you say?"

"Say please one more time and maybe I'll consider taking your sorry ass back." You tease as a smirk grows on your face.

He drops his hand back to your own and leans back, taking in your whole view. A grin spreads ear to ear as a light blush brush on his cheeks. "You are absolutely wicked, my sweet girl. So breathtakingly evil and I am nothing more than a dust particle living in your world. Please. I will never deserve you, but let me be selfish anyways and want you. I want you more than anything. Please."

"God, you're so good at that." You couldn't help but laugh at this theatrical version of a confession. "I guess, if you want me that bad..."

"Can I kiss you?" He quietly asked, "Please."

You smiled, returning the small physical gesture by rubbing his knuckles with your thumbs. Your body was on fire and had been craving this physical contact with him for the past month, and you desperately wanted to just lunge into his skin and devour him whole to make up for lost time.

"No."

His smile falters into the saddest pout you've seen.

"I want you to take me out first. I want you to come to my front door with flowers and a cute outfit, I want dinner, an activity planned, I want you to properly ask me out, maybe grovel a bit more, and then if I say yes, you can kiss me."

He pulls your hands up to his mouth to kiss your knuckle. "That was so fucking hot. You got it, sweet thing. Anything, anything, anything. I'm yours."

tags: @whitneys-favorite-slut @lanxsee @bumblebeebutter @randomrosie01 @lillycore @rinheartshyunlix @yuwuuta @itawifeyy @0fffia @the2ndl @moonchild701 @oldspirit @misguidedswagger

[witherby]

Yoooo, reading Hideaway with Mouse and Conner made me wanna know how it would go if someone actually *did* manage to walk in on them being intimate.

Imagine the chaos, the violence, and the sobs from Dick as he realizes just how mature Mouse has actually become.

Or even worse - what if actual pregnancy scare. They'll probably tell Hal first, cause he won't immediately try and kill Kon, or Jason, who just runs off to buy some tests because if Mouse was caught buying them, all hell would break loose, but Jason? Jason could have just had a one night stand and wanted to be sure

I can tell you what would happen!

What if you had gotten caught in the act?

Bruce: expressionless face, closes the door and walks away immediately, cries alone in his bedroom because his youngest kid is growing up so fucking fast, finds Conner after the deed is done and they've had time to get themselves together and asks him to please never fuck in this house again. It's taking all his strength not to put the manor in Red Sun Mode and beat his ass.

Hal: gasps, blurts an apology for barging into Mouse's room like that, leaves, gives them both a little goody bag with condoms and candies afterwards and emphasizes the importance of locking doors, and "hey did you know that putting a sock on your doorknob —"

Dick: screams, sobs, gags, clings to Mouse afterwards and tells them to stop doing grown-up shit, they're just a baby (they're in their 20s). Glares at Conner and tells him to stop committing sin with his little itty bitty baby sibling (Mouse is only a head shorter than Dick).

Jason: startles, realizes he should've knocked first, leaves, minds his business.

Tim: audibly blurts "EW, WHAT?" and slams the door. Avoids Mouse and Conner like the plague for at least two weeks while he desperately tries to get the image of what he saw out of his brain. Every time he sees them both his face goes >:[ automatically.

Damian: shouts in shock and disgust, immediately draws a knife out of seemingly nowhere to attack Conner so you have to slip into the shadows with him, rants and scolds your shadow forms on the floor for several long minutes until someone else drags him out of the room, apologizes because Jason forces him to.

Alfred: tuts in disappointment, closes the door, and pointedly laments the good old days when people got married before going for a romp in the sheets at dinner.

What if there's a pregnancy scare?

Bruce: outwardly he is keeping a calm and level head, letting Mouse know they have options about keeping it or not, and insists he will support them no matter what. Inwardly he's screaming GRANDBABY? GRANDBABY?? I WILL BE A GRANDPA? GRANDPA TIME? BABY? MY BABY HAVING BABY? BABY!! GRANDBABY!!! GRANDBABYGRANDBABYGRANDBABYGR

Hal: outwardly supportive of any decision taken, just like Bruce. Inwardly going g-grandbaby???? I will be grandma??? I'm gonna fucking CRY, GRANDBABYGRANDBABYGRANDBABY

Dick: screaming, crying, throwing up, so emotional at the prospect of being an uncle, begging Mouse to let him babysit when the fuckin pregnancy test isn't even done running yet

Jason: absolutely when and bought the tests for Mouse. Bought two of a few different brands just to be sure. Insists whatever they wanna do is perfectly fine and valid, even Conner, but after some wheedling he does admit having another baby running around would be kinda fun again

Tim: loudly declares "EW" but then immediately follows it up with "I get to babysit before Dick. It'll be so funny. Please let me babysit first."

Damian: takes some deep breaths, does not bring his knife out again, brings home pregnancy tests from the hospital, and promises he will either give Mouse the best prenatal care on the planet or find them the best hospital for a quick and painless abortion, then tells Conner flat-out that he won't be allowed to be a deadbeat or he'll just be dead.

Alfred: great grandpa? Great-grandbaby??? GREATGRANDBABYGREATGRANDBABYGREATGRANDBABYGREATGRANDB

[kurokawaia]

❛ CLOSING THE DISTANCE ❜

Tomioka Giyuu X Fem!Reader

WC; 1.3k+ | !MDNI! | TW/CW; no warnings, giyuu kills a demon infront of us, reader is his wife, giyuu is distant + more?

*ੈ✩‧₊˚𝑅𝐸𝒬𝒰𝐸𝒮𝒯 :: (filled request) Heyy, i was wondering if you could write a request with tomioka giyuu and reader where they are married/dating but hes really distant with her. One night she gets attacked either by a demon or someone breaking in 🤷‍♀️ and he saves her and like after that its all yours. ❤️❤️❤️ - @toastytoes0

m.list | demon slayer m.list

Giyuu was never really the talkative type, even when the two of you had finally gotten together, and then married, he was still the reserved, few-word type, and his words still both carried an obvious sense of retraction.

He used to converse with you more often when the two of you were just in your girlfriend and boyfriend stage, but now, he's fully withdrawn, barely speaking to you, his wife, who waits for him patiently for him every night. 

Not to say he didn't care-you knew that much, he did in his own little ways. 

On missions, he would disappear from your shared house and return with even fewer words. His eyes were always clouded by something which not even you could figure out.

When you were catering to his injuries, only a few words came from his mouth at best, other than that, it was just soft hisses slipping from his mouth due to the disinfectant.�� You reached for him, over and over, you and him, but so often it was as if you just wasn't quite in reach. The nights had been the most difficult. He'd lie beside you, his body would be quite stiff which made you always have a welling guilt bubble up in you as if you did something wrong. But, it was as if he were afraid that even in his sleep he might accidentally draw too close. Giyuu had left earlier that day for a mission and was not expected to return until morning. You were used to being alone, but that night felt off. There was a something hanging in the air, an apparent aura of danger that you couldn't shake.

You were okay. There is wisteria incense burning outside, so you're okay. You shook off the eeirer feeling, deciding to busy yourself with tasks that would take your mind off the sensation. However, no matter how much you busied yourself, that feeling of worry continued to grow stronger in your gut.

A deep and shaky breath leaves your mouth as you calm yourself down. YOu then continued with busying yourself. But then, you found yourself looking out the window, watching as the shadows got longer due to the moon.

That feeling of being watched never left.

You decided to retire to bed, praying that sleep would take you first before anxiety could really set in. As you lay out your shared futon, and snuggle into the sheets, pulling the blanket up to your nose you found yourself unable to sleep, the pounding of your heart was too loud to sleep. And so, midnight came, and your heart wasn't slowing down.

Well into midnight, you heard it, and that's a shaky, quiet gasp that slips past your mouth due to the soft creaking of a floorboard and the gentle rustle of movement. Freezing, your heart pounded inside the chest. Someone-or something-was inside the house. You had barely time to react when, with a burst of speed, your bedroom door swung open, a huge, dark figure filled the doorway, while its silhouette was poorly outlined by the faint moonlight that filtered through the window. Your body instinctively curled up while the figure moved towards you. But before the figure could get any closer, a blur of movement shot through the room. A clanging sound of metal to metal echoed within the small room, followed by an anguished grunt. You look up in time and see Giyuu- Quickly, his blade cutting through the demon. It was over in a matter of seconds. The figure slumped to the ground, dead, and Giyuu stood over them, as they disintegrated into the air. For several moments, neither of you budged. Then suddenly, as if snapped out of his trance, Giyuu turned to you, his eyes wide with guilt. Letting his sword fall to the ground, he whirled himself up to his feet and ran toward your side. The clatter of his sword against the floor sent an echo through the room. Are you hurt?" His voice was rough.

He reached out, his hands trembling over where to touch you. You shook your head wordlessly. The shock from the attack and suddenly seeing your generally distant husband was too much to absorb all at once, and you found yourself reduced to staring up at him, brimming with tears. Giyuu's face softened at the sight of you, his hand finally coming up to rest against your cheek. The warmth touching you sent a shiver running down your back, you leaned into the touch, desperate for any comfort you could recieve. "I'm sorry," he whispered, voice breaking, "I'm so sorry. You'd blinked. Giyuu had never apologized much less voice himself so candidly. "Why?" you croaked out, voice shaking. "Why have you been so distant? Giyuu's hand on your cheek had tightened slightly, his thumb stroked the tear that had escaped your eye. "I... I thought it was for the best. I did not want to hurt you one day, that I have been killed on a mission, and never returned to you. I thought it was best to distance myself, so that maybe if that did happen, it would hurt you less." You shook your head, a sob escaping your lips. "But you're my husband Giyuu, and I want to share that burden with you, be there for you, no matter how dark it will be.

"In a way," he whispered, so low. "I was afraid-afraid that if I did, I'd lose you." You reached out with your free hand and gently touched his, your fingers intertwining with his. "You won't lose me," you promised, trying to keep your voice steady when it was still quivering from the falling tears. "But you will if you keep pushing me away." He pulled you close to him, clasping you tightly against his chest, as if he really did fear you would disappear should he let go. You buried your face in the crook of his neck, inhaling his familiar scent as you let yourself finally relax in the circle of his arms.

He hugged you like you were the most precious thing in the world, and in this moment, you knew things would go differently from here on out. Giyuu leaned down, pressing a soft kiss against your forehead, his lips staying there.

"I'll protect you," he whispered low. "I'll always protect you."

And for the first time, you did believe him.

Do not copy, steal, modify, etc. Relogs and like are appreciated.

m.list| demon slayer m.list

[ofstarsandvibranium]

Wield It

Fandom: Star Wars - The Acolyte

Pairing: Qimir x GN!Reader

Summary: You start your training with Qimir while also fighting the growing attraction you feel towards him.

Qimir Masterlist

You sit on a hill that overlooks the island. Your eyes are closed and you listen to your surroundings. You hear little critters chirping, waves crashing along the shores, the sound of Qimir breathing.

There's a buzzing sensation that courses through you and you know it's because Qimir draws closer. You feel him reaching out and, with your eyes still closed, you catch his wrist with your hand.

You open your eyes to see him smirking down at you, "Good," he says, staring at you with pride.

You drop his wrist and look away, staring out to the sea, "At the rate I've been going, I'm sure Mae will be much more suited to be your equal than I."

He looks at you curiously, "Does that thought bother you?"

You shrug, "Yes and no," you sigh, "Yes, because it proves to me that I'm not fit for this. No, because I still think Mae would be much more suited to be your equal than me."

"You have the potential. I sense a strong connection to the Force in you. You can have the power, Y/N. You just need to strengthen that connection, let it take over you. Then you can wield and bend it to however you like." He holds out his hand, "Stand up."

You place your hand in yours and he aids you to your feet. You stand there waiting for his next instruction.

"Close your eyes, do the same as before. Deep breaths, listen to your surroundings, but think of a time you were angry. A time that had your blood boiling, to the point you felt like you wanted everything around you to erupt in flames."

Your mind quickly flashes back to various times in your life where you felt angry, but none of them had the feeling that Qimir described. You thought back to your youth and then that's when it came.

You were a teenager. You came back from school to the apothecary your aunt owned. She was the one that took you in, raised you, and taught you how to run her shop. She always greeted you with a loving smile, but this time, she didn't.

You entered the shop to find it in disarray. You called for your aunt, hoping she would respond. But nothing.

Then you saw a pair of feet sticking out from behind the counter. You rushed over to her and she was already dead. You held her crying until the shop owner next door, came to help you.

Bounty hunters that weren't happy with a concoction your aunt gave them. In retaliation, they robbed and killed her.

The anger you felt towards them. The way you wanted to slaughter them after someone pointed them out to you a week later.

Going back to that memory, made your clench your fists and tighten your jaw. Your aunt was the only person who truly cared and loved you. And she was taken from you. Your aunt was taken from you. Rya was taken from you. You've primarily been alone and you were tired of it. You were angry that forces out of your control would take the people you cared about from you.

You wanted to take that control back.

"Amazing," you hear Qimir say and your eyes shoot open. Several rocks and boulders scattered around the hill were all suspended in the air. You feel that buzzing sensation again. It's much stronger this time.

"I told you," Qimir says, now standing behind you, whispering into your ear, "Let it take over you," he grabs your wrist, raising your arm out in front of you, "Wield and bend it."

You punch your fist out and the rocks zoom past you out into a rock pillar standing in the sea. The rocks pummel it, causing it to break and collapse.

You look over your shoulder and become incredibly aware how close Qimir is standing to you. You also feel one of his hands on your hips.

You clear your throat and take a few steps back, "That was...incredible."

"In due time, you'll be able to do much more than lift rocks," he gestures for you to follow him, "Let's eat."

____________________

You're trying to sleep. For the most part, the cave is dark, except for the little corner Qimir sits, working on his helmet.

You toss and turn, trying to find a comfortable position to lay in. But nothing. Your body is pleading to rest, but your mind can't seem to get the hint. Thoughts are racing, questions and worries litter your mind.

You roll over, facing the direction where Qimir sits. He looks up, "Something wrong?"

You sigh, forgoing sleep and slipping out of the bed. You walk over to Qimir's little work station, sitting on the ground beside him, "So what is this?"

"A helmet made out of cortosis. Extremely durable. No lightsaber or blaster can get through it."

"I never knew such a thing existed," you say in awe.

"They use helmets similar to these in the Jedi academy. Help us hone in on using the Force and relying on just the Force," he states as he solders his helmet.

You look up at him in surprise, "You were a Jedi?"

"A long time ago. Things didn't work out," he says with a smirk and you can't help but snort.

"Did you just make a joke?"

He shrugs, "I can be funny sometimes."

"Has Mae seen this funny side of you?"

Qimir's smirk falls to a serious expression, "She only knows me as her Master. She doesn't know that the Qimir she knows out there," he gestures vaguely out, "is the same one here."

You bring your knees to closer to you, arms resting on your knees, "So you really think Mae will be your acolyte?"

"We have similar visions, we want to see the downfall of the Jedi. They talk of peace, but peace is a lie. There has never been and never will be peace. And I want to show them that," he reaches out and rests his hand on yours, "Together, we'll be able to show them that."

You nod, "I'm trying, Qimir. I hope you know that."

"I do. I appreciate you, for being here, for allowing this to happen."

You suddenly find yourself yawning and Qimir gives you a playful look, "Am I boring you?"

You shake your head insistently, "No, no. I just-I think my mind has finally caught up to what my body's been telling it."

Qimir rubs your hand and then pats it, "Rest. Your training continues tomorrow."

"Good night, Qimir," you say as you stand and head back to your bedroll.

"Good night," he murmurs, eyes stuck on you as you slip into bed, rolling over to face away from him. There's a pulling in his chest as he continues to watch you from afar.

He rubs at his chest, trying to soothe the ache. He knows nothing but you will soothe the ache in his chest he's still unsure about.

[folkwhoredoll]

by the shore - rafe cameron x fem!reader

pairing: rafe cameron x fem!reader (friends with benefits)

synopsis: being friends with rafe has its benefits

word count: 1.7k

warnings/tags: smut! (f oral, unprotected sex), few curse words

request: rafe x Reader, they are best friend that’s are on a family trip that they take every year in summer, reader is good friends with both Sarah and rafe, rafe and reader are a bit tipsy messing around and find their way to the beach and that’s were the smut happens :) hope you can do it thank you.

a/n: hi everyone! it's been a while since my last post because things got busy in nursing school but since it's summer break, i can now post again! thank you to the one who requested this <3 i hope you'll like this one. happy reading!

masterlist

➶-͙˚ ༘✶

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow across the beachfront estate where you and the Camerons vacationed every summer. The annual family trip was a cherished tradition, one you eagerly anticipated each year. It started long before you even entered school, a yearly event your parents initiated to celebrate their friendship with the Camerons. Naturally, you also formed a growing friendship with Sarah and Rafe.

Though, if you were honest, "friendship" didn't quite describe the bond between you and Rafe. Whether you and the Cameron heir were dating was unclear, but he acted like you were most of the time. Almost no boys dared to ask you out, not with Rafe always glaring at them from behind you. He accompanied you almost everywhere, even pretending you were his girlfriend to keep other girls away.

But your relationship with Rafe wasn't simply a friendship because of what you two did behind closed doors. It was no secret that Rafe had several experiences, his natural charisma drawing girls to him. Perhaps that's why you couldn't resist him when he told you he admired you months ago. He was your first.

Not one soul knows about it; you couldn't risk it.

The evening air was filled with laughter and clinking glasses as your families gathered on the deck, enjoying the night of their getaway. You felt a pleasant buzz from the beer you and Rafe had been sipping, the alcohol buzzing through your veins. Sarah had to excuse herself to answer a call from Topper, leaving you and Rafe alone under the twinkling fairy lights.

Rafe grinned at you, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Wanna take a walk down to the beach?" he suggested, his voice slightly blurred but full of excitement.

You smiled back and nodded eagerly, the idea of sneaking for a late-night adventure sounding perfect. "Absolutely. Let's go back before Sarah gets back and decides to drag us into some boring game."

Rafe laughed, a deep, infectious sound that made your heart flutter. The combination of alcohol and the intimate setting seemed to excite you.

The two of you stumbled down the wooden steps leading to the beach, giggling and shushing each other while your hands gripped tightly around your beer bottles. The fine sand was cool beneath your feet and the ocean waves lapping gently at the shore.

Rafe motioned for you to sit near a large rock, sitting down first to make sure that it was comfortable enough. You positioned yourself beside him, sighing contently as you took in the view before you.

"Remember when Sarah and I built a sandcastle when we were like, ten? Then you ruined it with your soccer ball." You said.

"In my defense, I didn't mean to kick it towards your castle." Rafe chuckled at the memory. "And I got the worst punishment from you because you refused to speak to me for a week."

You hummed, sipping more of your beer. "Still not over it."

He snorted, leaning his head back.

The next moments were spent in silence. You and Rafe took turns drinking what was left from the bottle, smiling whenever you would make eye contact, and leaning closer and closer to him until your shoulders touched.

You took a deep breath when you felt Rafe kiss your cheek suddenly. "What was that for?"

"What? Can't I kiss you?" He smiled innocently. "It's not like we haven't done anything more than a kiss."

You threw him a look, knowing that in a few moments, you would be doing something that friends don't normally do. How Rafe could always be turned on, you could never understand. But you don't complain, not when your hormones also betray you every time you see his muscles strain from his tight shirt.

"Come on, Y/n. No one can see us from here." He whispered, his breath tickling your skin as he lowered his face to your neck.

You didn't say anything, and Rafe took it as a sign to move further, abandoning his beer to the side. He placed one hand on your thigh and another hand on your waist. Your head was spinning from both the alcohol and Rafe's hands, suddenly not able to speak as you savor the moment of his lips on your neck.

"What would our parents say when they find out what we do?" He wondered teasingly, smirking when he saw you discreetly push your thighs together. He loved you like this: submissive as you let him do whatever he wanted.

"Probably celebrate. They've been teasing us for years." You finally replied, a laugh coming from your throat as you remembered the times when they would try to set the two of you up in every gathering.

Rafe suddenly lifted the skirt of your sundress, causing you to gasp. "Out here? Really?"

His other hand moved from your waist to your back, feeling for the zipper of your dress. "It's a perfect spot. No one can see us or hear us unless you scream, of course."

His cocky attitude made you roll your eyes, though your cunt already fluttered at the thought of being bare under his body as the sunset. "We have to be fast, got it?"

You didn't give him a chance to reply as you tilted your body, swiftly pushing him back so you could move on top and straddle him. Rafe, although shocked by your sudden movement, smiled cheekily as he witnessed you reach to your back to unzip your dress.

"Damn, baby." He breathed as he eyed the way the straps of the dress dropped, hastily helping you to get out of your clothing. He licked his lips as he stared at the sight of you. Your breasts perked up as the cool sea breeze touched your skin, leaving you in your underwear.

"Take it off, Rafe." You told him, helping him take off the shirt that accentuated his muscles.

Following your request, Rafe moved quickly and placed his shirt on the sand beside the two of you, lifting your hips and guiding you to lay on his shirt.

He finished removing the rest of his clothing, never cutting eye contact with you even as he pulled his cock out. You made a quick look back to the house, making sure that you were not within anyone's eyesight.

You gasped as Rafe pulled your panties down, your cunt fluttering at the excitement. He lowered his head down until it was leveled with your pussy, his manhood hardening at the sight of your wet folds.

Without warning, he gave your cunt a long lick, pushing his warm tongue as deep as he could reach. You moaned loudly and quickly gripped his hair, your back arching as he sucked on your clit.

Rafe reached a hand upwards to cover your mouth, not too tight to restrict you from breathing but just enough to muffle your moans. Your chest heaving as you gasped, the alcohol and his tongue working together to give you the best pleasure.

Rafe himself was groaning as he enjoyed the sight of your writhing body, his heart swelling with pride, knowing that it was only him who could make you feel that way.

Your moans were exchanged with whines when he suddenly moved away from your pussy, kneeling in front of you as he stroked his stiff dick.

"You said we have to be fast." He chuckled, teasing you. "Ready, baby?"

After seeing you nod, Rafe pushed himself inside you, a loud groan erupting from his lips as he felt your warm and wet folds around him.

"Best cunt in the world." He whispered to himself.

You let out a loud moan as he filled you completely, growing needy and desperate for a release. "Move, Rafe. Make me cum, please."

Your words sounded like music to Rafe's ears, further feeding his ego. "Since you asked nicely."

In one quick movement, Rafe thrust in and out of you, lifting one of your legs to wrap around his waist so he could reach deeper.

The sounds of both of your breaths were mixed with the sound of the ocean waves as sweat grew on the surface of your skin. You were shamelessly whining and moaning in every thrust while Rafe was closing his eyes as he groaned in pleasure.

He pushed your other leg upwards, having you nearly folded in half as he pushed harder. He looked down to where you two were connected, his cock twitching at the sight. "Taking me so well, baby. Come on, I know you're close."

You were panting, breathless, and unable to speak. Your hands were clawing on Rafe's shoulder, wanting to push him away from the overwhelming feeling.

"R-Rafe…" You breathed out, feeling your pussy pulsate around him.

"Yes, Y/n. Go on, cum for me." He urged you, his pace never stopping nor slowing down.

You looked at him, admiring how he looked with his disheveled hair and warm cheeks. His muscles were tensing as he thrusted faster.

Without warning, he pulled your legs apart slightly, just enough so he could reach your clit with his hand. You almost screamed at the contact, another surge of gratification taking over your body as he pinched your bud.

"Fuck, Rafe!"

He smiled, hips going faster until he felt you cum around his cock. Your hips were jerking upward as you released, thighs shaking as you squirted on him.

Rafe moaned loudly, and after a few more thrusts, he released his load inside of you, not letting a drop go to waste.

You were quiet as you panted underneath Rafe, your legs still shaking occasionally while you enjoyed the feeling of both of your cum inside you.

Rafe was whispering compliments in your ear softly, stroking your skin as he slowly pulled himself out. He then helped you back into your underwear and dress, gently guiding you as you regained your balance. Rafe was quicker as he dressed himself up, grabbing your hand immediately and leading you back to the house.

"Let's clean up inside before Sarah finds us here."

[daylighted]

— journal ! reader's first case !

posting again some of the stuff in my drafts from my break <3 hope u guys didn't think i forgot about my baby lore !!

it was a rare instance in which dean and sam went their separate ways on a case. two separate occurrences of the same oddly specific attack needing investigated, and not enough time in the day to gather both’s information without splitting.

it was easier now, with you and baby in the ranks. as much as sam seemed to be against you initially (which you understood, of course — one moment, you were something he flipped through with comfortable familiarity, and the next you were a girl) he was grateful now for your arrival for times like this.

“this is mine?” you hold out the fake badge in front of you, studying the emblems etched into it. 

sam lightly nudges your hand down, a little laugh falling out of his mouth. “maybe don’t ask that so loud.” he offers a polite nod and smile to a passing couple. “cops don’t usually tend to question their stance as a cop.”

“maybe they should.” you look down, adjusting the badge’s pin into your navy button up again. it was not a flattering look on you, but not many things held a candle to sam’s warm brown jacket that he let you borrow more often than not. “cops are not the most morally sound people.”

sam doesn’t say anything, and when you look up to see why, you can see where he bites down on the corner of his mouth in an attempt to stifle his smile. his deep cratered dimples give him away, though. 

sam nods toward an abandoned house on your path, just branching off of main street. “there’s our house.”

“it already fits the quota for haunted.” 

“unfortunately, i doubt a ghost travels from one side of the town to the other to torment the neighbors of desolate homes.”

you tut under your breath. you’d heard of worse. hell, john winchester had SEEN worse. still, you don’t argue, even though it DOES fit the criteria. rotting, peeling wood on the doorway, paint chipping off of the paneling, the plants around the creaky front steps dead and gray.

sam does a quick glance up and down the streets before he shoulders the door open. he steps aside, holding it open for you to pass. “ladies first.”

“technically, you went first,” you say as you pass, careful to not let any part of you touch any part of him, “but it’s the thought that counts.”

“so you want to break into the house next time?” sam raises an eyebrow, shutting the squeaky front door behind himself. “i’ll keep that in mind.”

you’re ignoring him, but not on purpose. instead, your eyes are downturned to the demon summoning circle painted in vibrant red in the caution tape’s blocked off paths. you duck underneath one strip of it, your eyebrows furrowing.

“careful to not touch.” sam’s hand comes to steady your shoulder as you straighten again. “fingerprints—”

you smile reassuringly up at him. “i know how dna tracing works,” you tell him, lingering a second before you bend at the knee, severing the connection between the two of you. you swipe your fingers through the deep vibrant markings. “i also know that my dna is not in any database. i was a book.”

sam opens his mouth and shuts it with a HM. it always seemed to shut him up when you brought that up. you bring your sticky red fingers to your nose and recoil, choking on a gag. “it’s animal, i think.” you pause, taking a moment to collect yourself before you test the scent again. coppery and rotten and WRONG. “no, it’s human, but it’s…”

“tainted.” you hear your earlier words echoed back to you through sam’s phone speakers, held between the two of you, while dean rambles. “the blood used to draw these circles is tainted, probably because the people sacrificed became the vessels for whatever the hell they brought from the other side.”

sam grimaces. “any idea on what could be possessing them?”

“well, there’s no savin’ them, so if we find them, it’s a cut and dry case. knock ‘em and cut loose.” dean’s voice is scratchy through the speaker, quieting for a second before he comes back close. “baby says hi, lore.”

“hi, baby!” you all but snatch the phone from sam’s hand, letting go the moment your fingers touch.

sam shifts closer to you, bringing the phone closer to your eye level. dean says, “what’s lore thinkin’? she’s got the book written all over her.”

you still, your lips tightening into a little frown. “i think it’s a crossroads demon.” 

the silence is heavy, filled with thought and doubt alike. then, after a beat, baby quietly says into the speaker on her end, “i didn’t know it was so important that demons cross roads.”

you smile, shaking your head a little at the innocence of the statement, even as you start to bunch up the sleeves of your shirt. “it’s a type of demon, i—”

you glance down at the loose, messy scrawl about demons on your forearm, frowning deeper now. “john didn’t have any notes about crossroad demons?”

dean cuts in as sam’s face bunches up; two faces of the same denial. “bull. dad had everything under the sun in that journal.”

“let me look.” sam takes your wrist gently, his eyes scanning over handwriting he’s seen many times before, and read many more. his fingertips are light as they brush across your skin, tracing along to where he was at. you couldn’t look away from him, even though you should have been looking with him. 

he switches to your other arm, each sleeve to your elbows, and no luck. “that’s weird.” and even as he says it, his eyes flash with a blink of realization. “lore, can i…”

you tilt your head at him, not understanding the implications of his unfinished sentence. “…yes?”

sam’s hands go to the back of your neck, brushing your hair off of your shoulders, and you can’t help the shiver that trails down your spine at the gentle, tender motion. he hooks a finger into the collar of your navy button-up and tugs down, just slightly enough to feel the musty chill of the house’s abandoned room and the heat of his breath. 

“baby, are you listening?” sam asks, and you falter, realizing that he isn’t letting go yet, that his face is inches from your skin. 

baby’s voice comes back, along with an audible groan from dean. “you found the answer?”

sam reads verbatim the words you know by heart. every little detail about crossroads demons and their capabilities. it's only when the sentence cuts off that he stops, right before he pulls your shirt down enough to reveal the arch of your spine. 

“so it is a crossroads demon that was summoned?” baby asks, as dean assumedly snatches the phone back at the same time and says, “they were attempting to summon something bigger, and the crossroads demon saw an opportunity and jumped.”

“that’s what i was thinking,” sam says, and he’s still right behind you, holding the phone around your body so that both of you can speak, his arms caging you in. “to have two separate summoning circles on opposite sides of the town instead of one centric location feels like the entire town is in on something, and that the demon smelled gold all the way from hell.”

you loosen slowly, the rush of adrenaline making its way out of your body. now being able to focus enough, you grab sam’s wrist to pull it down lower so it can pick up your voice. “maybe it is a townsmember, coming back to seek revenge on the fact they were chosen as a sacrifice in this town’s schemes.”

dean is quiet. sam is quiet. in the background through the speaker, baby is asking to have the phone again, which dean assumedly obliges when her voice comes in clearly. “do you think there is a map pattern?” 

“what do you mean?” you ask, because it’s easier to focus on baby’s questions than it is to on sam pressed against your back comfortingly. 

“like… the house we’re at is directly on the opposite side of town, so maybe…”

sam whispers, both to himself and to you, “it’s in the shape of a circle on its own.”

“damn it,” dean sighs, “meet back on main street again so we can head to the library and find a goddamn townmap.”

sam adds, “and some history into this town and what the hell they’re trying to accomplish other than invite much more than a victim turned crossroads demon seeking revenge.”

the phone call ends, and neither of you move. not sam, who now stands close enough for you to feel his breath on your neck, and not you, frozen by the proximity. 

finally, you take a step forward, eager to get the hell out of the space of the summoning circle. “thank you for helping me,” you say, offering him a shy smile to follow.

“you did it all on your own.” sam’s smile replicates your own, his eyes full of the warmth that his father’s never had when he looked at you. “let’s go head to your favorite place now, okay?”

being around sam made every place your favorite place, but you were never one to turn down a trip to a library.

[mochi-marmalade]

Always.

a/n: this is my first time writing for lotr, i very much love him. this was supposed to be shorter lol. NOT PROOFREAD :(

Legolas x reader

1.8k words

warnings: alcohol use

Listening to the soft clopping of your horse’s hooves, you take note of the sun’s rays through the drifting clouds. You had volunteered to join the Fellowship of the Ring along with nine others, including one particular elf. Your gaze drifts to find him surveying the horizon before you and you suppress a sigh. Despite volunteering to aid in Frodo’s journey, you did not have much to offer but your blade. It was more a spontaneous heroism that led you to provide your support. Now that you’re here, it is far too late to turn back- not that you would consider laying down your sword anyway. “It is clear,” Legolas declares, breaking your train of thought. “We are safe to camp here.” Gimli grunts as he props his axe against a large rock and settles on the ground. Aragorn begins to arrange his supplies, and holds out a piece of lembas to you. Taking the lembas, you walk to the edge of your camp. Lembas… An elven bread you have not yet tried, but have heard referenced many times. You glance over at Legolas again, who is now seated next to his dwarf friend. Recently, you have found yourself looking at him a bit too much for your liking. Even so, it fills you with a strange warmth to see his lips turned upward as he jokes with Gimli. Aragorn’s hand lands on your shoulder, startling you. “Aragorn. I thought you were busy keeping watch and such.” You halfheartedly say. He quirks an eyebrow, and you’re suddenly aware of how apparent it is that your mind is somewhere else. You clear your throat and take a small bite of lembas. “I wanted to make sure you’re okay.” He explains, eyeing you worriedly. “I’m quite fine, thank you.” You tell him after swallowing the sweet bread. Whether or not you’re actually fine is another story. After Aragorn turns away, you decide to sit on a trunk by Gimli and Legolas. “... And I taught him better than to underestimate a dwarf!” Gimli exclaims, roaring with laughter. Legolas looks down and chuckles at his friend’s story before raising his head to the sky. Although you feel a bit as if you’re intruding on their banter, you lean in and smile anyway. Legolas’s gentle voice catches your attention. “The stars are bright.” You look up as well and draw in a sharp breath, astonished by the sheer image of the night sky. “The stars… and the sky… It’s all so-” 

“Beautiful.” Legolas finishes with a soft smile. You nod in agreement, swallowing thickly when you see his face illuminated by moonlight. His sharp features are made attractive tenfold, if it were even possible. He turns to look at you and your eyes meet for a moment, then he turns back to the milky blanket of stars. He leans close to you- so close you can almost smell the earthy oak scent he carries. Then he points, “Look. There is Valacirca.” You try hard to follow the tip of his finger, but you’re unable to make out a familiar shape. Slowly, he brings the fingertips of his other hand to your jaw and guides your head to turn the slightest bit. “There it is,” You gasp. “The Seven Stars.” He grins at you and your awe turns into something else entirely. “Thank you.” You murmur. Legolas’s gaze holds yours and you can feel some emotion bubbling up from deep within you. Something warm and comforting, something that makes you feel full. Gimli coughs, and your awareness is brought to reality. How many times have you lost track of your mind in just this one day? Too many, surely. 

⋆｡ ﾟ☁︎｡ ⋆｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡ ⋆

While your companions dwindle off to sleep, you quietly slip away to the nearby forest. The company of the trees relieves you and almost makes you forget about the many impending battles you must face. You sit and close your eyes momentarily to breathe in the sweet air while you listen to the brook murmur secrets of the trees. For the first time in several fortnights, you can truly say you are relaxed. That is, until your mind fills with visions of a slender, handsome elf prince. Your thoughts linger on memories of your past interactions with him. Slowly, you begin to realize your feelings. Although you had been aware before, it begins to sink in how hopeless you are. Your mind conjures daydreams of Legolas hurrying nimbly through trees to greet you with a warm smile and kiss your hand. He calls your name, and it sounds so real you flinch. He calls your name again, but this time you know it’s real. Your head swivels around to find Legolas sauntering towards you. “Why do you leave at this hour? You know it is dangerous.” He says with concern. You stifle a laugh, caught halfway between offended and amused. “Legolas, I am perfectly capable of defending myself.”

“I am still wary. What lurks in the woods is a mystery to all but the woods themselves.”

You simply smile, knowing that this is an argument you can’t win. “So, what compels you to wander in the middle of the night?” He asks. You think about it for a moment, not completely sure why you came out here. You answer, “I suppose… Desire for a moment’s peace.” Responseless, Legolas sits beside you. He knows as well as you do that calm is becoming harder and harder to come by in these times. Perhaps he himself is looking for the same thing. In comfortable silence, you find yourself once again drawn to the sky. What has it that has brought you to Legolas’s side this night? Fate? The stars themselves? Whatever it is, you do not care. You are happy enough to know that you are with him. Perhaps, you think, just this once you will abandon inhibitions and allow yourself to act freely. As a member of the Fellowship, it may be the last chance you get. 

You gently rest your head on Legolas’s arm, hoping you have not crossed any unspoken boundaries. He does not utter a word, which worries you and relieves you at the same time. Gradually, you feel weariness take hold of your body and mind. In a half-asleep stupor, you wonder aloud, “Would you stay with me? I grow weary and I don’t want to be alone. Legolas, would you please stay?” You’re so tired, you hardly hear when he mutters, “Always.” 

⋆｡ ﾟ☁︎｡ ⋆｡ ☼ ﾟ｡ ⋆

When the sunlight forces your eyes open, you are lying on your blanket, as if last night had never happened. You cannot recall what words had left your mouth on the verge of sleep, but you’re not sure you want to. Aragorn calls the party to depart, and you are traveling again. When you reach the city of Edoras, you know doom is nigh upon it. The orcs attack Helm’s Deep and it leads to a great battle, throughout which you stay near Legolas. Afterwards, there is a feast in remembrance of those lost. Your companions seem to be enjoying themselves thoroughly, with Merry and Pippin dancing joyously on a table. You laugh a bit at the sight, and Legolas’s voice sounds beside you, “Will you not partake in the food or drink?” You are once again startled by the elf’s sudden appearance. “You can’t help but sneak up on me, can you?” 

“Apologies, I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

“I ate already and I am not interested in drinking tonight.” Although you are a seasoned fighter, you cannot help but shudder at the thought of the battle. You had never been in a fight so large, and the image of bodies falling will not leave your mind. They are bodies that could have easily been you or Legolas. The elf next to you places a comforting hand on your arm. You offer a feeble smile as an attempt to tell him you are okay, although he doesn’t seem very convinced. “I believe I shall retire for the night.” You say. You begin to walk towards the large doors of the Golden Hall when a clearly intoxicated man takes hold of your arm and stops you. “My fair lady,” He hiccups. “You have done well to save our people from evil. I must show my thanks somehow. Might I accompany you on this fine evening?” You scowl, but an arm around your shoulders stops you from responding. “I think not.” Legolas says, his expression unreadable. He keeps talking, though the man looks impatient and angry. “The lady and I have business of our own. We need no company.” Your eyes widen at how suggestive his words sound, but try to play along as well as you can. The drunk man finally leaves, and you heave a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Legolas.” You keep making your way to the exit, but Legolas does not stop walking with you. Once you step outside, you turn to Legolas and ask, “What are you doing?” He smiles. “I said we have business, did I not?” You are utterly confused and speechless. He hooks your arm with his and leads you out a bit further into the darkness. In the pale moonlight, you can see his lips turn up and his eyebrows move ever so slightly. If you didn’t know him better, you might think he was acting perfectly normal. But you do know him, and you can see something on his face. Hesitation, bashfulness, doubt. “I told you I would not leave you.” He says. “What do you mean by that?” You ask.

“Moons ago, you asked me to stay. Meleth nín, I would never leave you.”

Slowly, he leans down, and you find your lips on his. So that’s what he meant. He pulls away and draws you close to him, holding you as if you were fragile glass. You snake your arms around his body, and you can feel his heartbeat. “I will travel to the ends of Middle-Earth if you would only give me the command.”

“Legolas…”

He looks down at you and gives you a smile. “I care not that you are a human. I will care for you until the very end of time, I swear it.” His hand smooths your hair and cradles your head. After a few moments, you yawn. “You grow tired.” Legolas observes. You shake your head, hoping you can spare even a few more seconds with him. “Come,” He beckons to your camp. “You should sleep.” He eyes your expression, clearly unhappy that you must part for the night. “I will lie with you.” He offers. You settle into your blanket with your body pressed against Legolas’s, and have the most comfortable sleep you’ve had in ages.

[lozchi]

KNOCKDOWN Chapter 1

Masterlist Pairing(s):Sukuna x F!Reader, Modern AU

Themes: Suggestive content, profanity, mild violence, slow burn, childhood friends to lovers, OOC, fluff, angst(ish)

Chapter 1: 3,567 words

Surrounded by textbooks, notes, and surgical procedure diagrams, you find yourself completely focused on your medical studies as you sit at your messy desk. The sole source of light in the room is the gentle radiance of your desk lamp, creating elongated shadows on the pages – focused on the intricate drawings, trying to remember every part of the procedure. The outside world gradually disappears, and time goes by without you realizing it, the bright daytime gradually transitions into the dark colors of evening outside your window, enveloping you in a quiet state of intense concentration.

A voice calls out your name, faint and far away, barely noticeable in your awareness. You allowed it to go by without losing your concentration. Shortly after, the voice rings once more, with increased volume and urgency, disrupting your concentrated state.  

The abrupt calling seems like a harsh disruption in the fragile strand of your focus, and you work to ignore the annoyance.You sigh in frustration and mumble quietly, "Ugh, what do you want, Shoko?"

Shoko’s voice rang out through your shared apartment once more, jolting you from your concentration as she yelled your name.

You looked up from the sea of medical papers strewn across your desk. “What’s up, Shoko?”

“'What's up?' You fucking tell me 'what's up'! you haven’t eaten yet. How long are you gonna be nose-deep in all those papers?” she asked, leaning against your doorframe with an exasperated look.

Six years into med school, you were suffering. The endless studying, the sleepless nights—it all weighed heavily on you. Shoko was in the same boat, but she always seemed to handle it better. Maybe because she indulged in stress-free activities or she was just naturally talented in managing herself, maybe both. Whatever it is, she hid her struggles well.

“Relax.” you said, trying to sound casual. “Just a few more pages and I’ll eat breakfast.”

Shoko’s eyebrows shot up. “It’s literally 6 in the evening. What do you mean ‘breakfast’!?”

She walked over, plopping down on the edge of your bed. “You need to take some time for yourself. I bet you don't even know what day it is.”

You rolled your eyes, though you knew she had a point. “I do get to relax sometimes.”

Shoko smirked. “When was the last time you had fun?”

“Yesterday!” you replied, a bit defensively. 

She raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? Doing what?”

You hesitated, then admitted, “I killed five mosquitoes in a row.”

Shoko blinked at you, then burst out laughing. “Seriously? That’s your idea of fun?”

You sighed, unable to help but smile at her incredulity. “It was surprisingly satisfying.”

Shoko shook her head, her laughter subsiding into a warm, affectionate smile. “You’re something else, you know that? But seriously, take a break. The world won’t end if you step away from the books for a little. You really need to loosen up a bit more. How about we cook some food and watch a movie?"

You glanced at the mountain of papers in front of you, feeling the weight of all the work yet to be done. But as you looked at Shoko’s earnest expression, you realized she was right. You did need a break, even if it was just for a little while. You nodded, knowing she was right. “Okay, okay. I’ll rest. Just for a bit.”

Shoko grinned, getting up to head to the kitchen. “Good. Now come on, let’s get some real food in you before you wither away.”

As you followed her out of the room, you couldn’t help but think about how much you relied on her to keep you grounded. Despite how hard med school was, having a friend like Shoko made it all a bit more bearable.

“Okay..." you conceded. “But I'm picking the movie.”

“Deal." Shoko said with a grin. You leaned back in your chair, letting out a long breath. Maybe this was exactly what you needed.

Shoko took out several vegetables from the fridge, humming to herself as she began to prepare dinner. She glanced over her shoulder at you, a playful smirk on her face, deciding to tease you once again. “Y’know, I bet you have no idea what a Ligma is.” she laughed.

"Shut up, I know what that is."

Shoko smirked, but she remained silent. Just then, her phone rang, and she answered it quickly. “Ah, sorry, I actually have something to attend to. Don’t forget to eat!” she called out, grabbing her bag and heading to the door.

“I’m eating instant ramen,” you muttered to yourself as you watched her leave. With a sigh, you decided to head to the nearby convenience store to pick up some good old cup ramen.

-

Once you arrived at the nearby 7/11, you crouched down in front of the aisle to grab a cup of ramen. Deciding to heat it up and eat it there instead of taking it home, you made your way to the hot water dispenser, preparing your quick meal.

With your hot cup of ramen in hand, you took a seat at one of the small tables. As you started eating, you noticed a tall, muscular guy trying to get your attention. He had black hair, a noticeable scar on his lip—his build was insane, making you momentarily consider hitting the gym.

“Excuse me, miss, can you watch over my son for a little? It’ll be quick.” he asked, his voice deep but polite.

“Oh, sure,” you said, looking at the cute little boy who's probably no older than 8 –standing next to him.

“Dad, I want candy." the boy demanded.

“Only a bit, Gumi. Otherwise momma would kill me.” the man chuckled before heading off, leaving you with the child.

The boy immediately took out a phone and began watching something. You couldn’t help but notice it wasn’t a typical kid’s show.

“Do you know the King of Curses?” he asked, looking up at you.

-

“I can’t think of a fucking username that isn’t corny!” Sukuna pouted, crossing his arms in frustration. You laughed, watching him struggle.

You’d been waiting for ten minutes for Sukuna to pick a name, but all he’d been doing was muttering swear words under his breath. 

“Geez, chill. Maybe you should go for something like ‘The King of Curses’ since you won’t stop being a potty mouth.” you suggested, a teasing glint in your eye.

Initially, he was disgusted by your suggestion, thinking it was surely a joke. But, moments later, you saw him typing the username you picked out, almost subconsciously.

“You seriously went with it?” you scoffed.

He shrugged. “It may be shit, but it’s pretty iconic if you ask me. Makes me sound feared or something.”

“You’re so cringe.”

“Shut up, at least we can start now.”

-

You laughed at the memory and turned to the kid. “It’s probably some weird CounterStrike username an edgy teen would come up with.” You said, a nostalgic smile on your face. Still, how in the world would that kid know about that specific username?

The boy's eyebrows knitted in confusion. “My dad trains him. He’s a really great mixed martial artist.”

He played a YouTube video for you, and you were amazed. The commentator excitedly pointed out the undefeated champion, known as "The King of Curses", as he dominated the ring with a fierce appearance on the screen.

The camera focused on the fighter's face, leaving no room for doubt. It was Sukuna. The same fierce protector from your childhood, now grown up and living up to the formidable name you had jokingly given him.

In the video, Sukuna was positioned in the middle of the octagon with tight muscles and concentrated eyes. When the bell sounded, his opponent rushed towards him with a barrage of punches. Sukuna smoothly avoided every attack, his actions appearing almost too fast to see. He responded with a quick punch to the ribs, then delivered a strong uppercut that made his opponent stagger backwards.

Sukuna's expression remained calm, almost bored, as he advanced. His opponent attempted to regain balance by launching a frantic kick, but Sukuna intercepted his leg in mid-air and turned it, causing the man to fall hard on the mat. The crowd burst into applause, but Sukuna was not finished. He dropped to the ground, pinning his opponent with a series of brutal elbows and punches.

The referee moved in to stop the fight, but Sukuna was already standing, raising his arms in victory. His chest heaved with controlled breaths, and he flashed a confident smirk at the camera, the tattoos on his body adding to his intimidating presence.

It cut to a post-match interview where Sukuna, still glistening with sweat, spoke with a quiet intensity. "My advice to achieve such greatness? Uhh, git gud.'"

Classic Sukuna.

Your heart pounded as the realization set in. Sukuna, the boy who used to defend you on the playground, had become a renowned MMA fighter, known worldwide by the very name you had suggested in jest. The world had changed so much since you last saw him, and yet here he was, still fighting.

The boy continued watching the video, oblivious to your internal turmoil. You couldn't help but feel a mix of pride and disbelief. Sukuna had come so far, and you wondered if he ever thought about the past, about you.

"'Ryo..."

The boy glanced at you and thought, "Damn, this woman's got a crush on him already, like every girl on TikTok."

The man returned, thanking you for watching his son. You nodded absently, still reeling from the revelation. As you left the 7/11 with your now cold ramen, your mind buzzed with possibilities. Would he still remember you? Would you be able to reconnect again?

-

The kid tugged his dad's arm. “Dad.”

“Yes, Megumi?” the man responded.

“Can't believe that lady didn’t know who you were, neither did she know Ryomen Sukuna!”

The man could tell; you didn’t seem astounded to see him at all.

“She looks oddly familiar though.” the man muttered to himself. "Gumi, let's visit him."

-

Returning hastily to your apartment, the image of Sukuna's video was still fresh in your mind, the flickering fluorescent lights of the 7/11 lingering behind you. Your heart beat fast with a mix of excitement and nervousness as you struggled with your keys to unlock the door, eventually managing to push it open and enter the dimly lit living room of your cozy apartment.

The view you saw was anything but reassuring. Shoko was in the kitchen, glaring at the untouched vegetables sitting forlornly on the counter

"Where were you?" she asked, concerned.

You gave a nervous chuckle, still processing the shock of the day. “I went to 7/11.”

Shoko sighed and shook her head, her expression softening just a little. “You need real food, not just instant ramen. Ugh, whatever.” She threw her hands up in resignation and turned toward her bedroom. “I’m heading to bed early. You should do the same.”

"You eaten yet though, Shoko?"

She sighs and nods, "Of course I did."

As she started to walk away, you hesitated for a moment before calling out, “Hey, Shoko?”

She stopped in her tracks, turning to look at you with a weary but curious expression. “What?”

“Do you know how I could catch up with an old friend I haven’t seen for a long time?” you asked, trying to sound casual but unable to hide the hope in your voice.

Shoko raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. “How long are we talking about?”

“About six years.” you said, your fingers nervously fidgeting with the edge of your ramen cup.

Shoko considered this for a moment, her gaze thoughtful. “What are they like?”

You took a deep breath, your mind drifting back to memories of Sukuna. 

“Well, he was strong—”

You remember him at the young age of 10, standing in the center of the playground, his muscles tensed as he faced a group of older kids. “You think you’re tough enough to handle me?” he taunted, his voice brimming with cocky confidence. “Bring it on!”

You watched from a distance, your heart pounding as Sukuna stepped into the fray, his bravado as palpable as his physical strength.

“He was brave—”

You remember Sukuna during your preteen years standing in front of you, his eyes fierce as he glared down at the jerks who had been tormenting you. “You stay behind me." he said firmly, his voice carrying a promise of protection. “I’ll handle this.”

You clung to his shirt as he faced the bullies, the sight of him standing tall against the odds a comforting shield.

“And reckless—”

You remember him as a middle schooler throwing himself into a scuffle with a group of older kids, not caring about the bruises or scrapes he might get. “What are you doing?!” you shouted, desperate to stop him from getting hurt. “You’ll get hurt!”

Sukuna’s eyes glinted with reckless excitement as he punched the air, ignoring your pleas.

“But he was also gentle sometimes.” you continued, a nostalgic smile forming on your lips.

After a particularly rough fight, Sukuna sat beside you, his face uncharacteristically soft as he checked the scratches on your arms. “You okay?” he asked, his voice gentle and full of concern. “Don’t let those fuckers get to you.”

"Now, it's pretty tough. I just found out today that he's gotten famous. Do you know Ryomen Su-"

“RYOMEN SUKUNA?!?” Shoko interrupted suddenly, her eyes widening in disbelief.

You nodded, trying to keep your tone steady. “Yeah, Ryomen Sukuna.”

Shoko stared at you, her mouth slightly open in shock. “Nah, nah, there is NO way you could possibly be connected to THAT man.”

She shook her head vigorously, as if trying to clear away the absurdity of the idea. “You’re telling me you knew Sukuna, the MMA fighter? The King of Curses?”

You nodded again, trying to suppress the excitement bubbling inside you. “Yeah, that’s the one.”

Shoko’s eyes darted between you and the kitchen, her skepticism palpable. “How in the world did you end up knowing someone like him?!? And why didn’t you mention it before?”

“It’s a long story. But I saw him today in a video, and it brought back a lot of memories.”

Shoko stared at you, her mouth slightly open in shock. “GIRL, YOU DON’T EVEN USE INSTAGRAM! OR TWITTER. OR FACEBOOK OR WHATEVER. HOW IN THE HECK—” She threw her hands up in exasperation. “Make one, quick! I’m going to bed now.”

You looked at her, a bit taken aback by her sudden urgency. “Wait, what? You think I should—”

“Yes!” Shoko said, her tone brooking no argument. “If you want to reach him, you need to have social media. He’s famous! You have to at least try to find a way to contact him through those channels. I’m heading to bed. Figure it out and come to bed soon!”

Dismissing you with a wave of her hand, she walked towards her bedroom, leaving you standing by yourself.

You walked to the bathroom, feeling the cool tiles underfoot in contrast to the warmth in your mind. You opened the tap and allowed the water to flow, filling the small, echoing room with the sound of splashing and dripping. You gazed at your own reflection in the mirror, revealing only weariness. Seeing your eyes and disheveled hair was a clear indication of the significance this held for you.

Entering the bathtub, you switched on the hot water and adjusted the temperature until it was perfect. Steam started rising, surrounding you in a comforting mist while you relaxed in the cozy hug of the bath. You rested against the ceramic surface, allowing the water to surround you while shutting your eyes and attempting to relax your thoughts.

"What kind of username would stick out to Sukuna? 

It was more challenging than you had anticipated. The inside jokes, the shared moments, and the personal history you had with Sukuna were so specific that they felt like private treasures. What could possibly represent those moments in a way that would be instantly recognizable to him?

You thought back to the times you spent together—times filled with laughter, arguments, and deep conversations. There were so many small, meaningful memories wrapped up in personal jokes and secret codes that no one else would understand.

You recalled the times you both laughed about ridiculous ideas, the games you played, and the silly names you created. You tried to think of a name that would be both nostalgic and significant, something that would make Sukuna think of you and those days.

"How about something from high school?" you mused, but nothing seemed to fit. Everything you came up with felt either too cheesy or too vague. You wanted something that would spark recognition and memories, but the perfect idea remained just out of reach.

You let yourself relax in the tub for a few minutes, hoping that the warmth of the water and the calm of the moment would help you come up with a brilliant idea. The steam swirled around you, and you let your thoughts drift, trying to tap into the memories of those carefree days.

As the water continued to gently lap against you, you thought about how those inside jokes had shaped your relationship, but how they might not resonate in the same way now. ------

Sweat trickled down Sukuna’s forehead as he leaned forward, his eyes never leaving focus. "You think you can take me down, brat?” he growled, his voice low and menacing.

“You’re going down, old man!” 

The room had a faint light, coming from the flickering TV screen and the gentle glow of the gaming console. Tension filled the air, the type that mounts before a pivotal fight. The air was filled with the sound of quick button presses and deep focus, occasionally interrupted by grunts of exertion.

Sukuna sat amidst the storm of focus and intensity, his brows furrowed in concentration while tightly gripping the controller. Facing him was his nephew Yuuji, a young and bubbly kid, matching his focus as his hands swiftly pressed the buttons.

The screen displayed the high-octane action of Tekken, the characters on the screen exchanging powerful blows and executing complex combos. Sukuna’s character, a hulking fighter, faced off against Yuuji’s agile and swift opponent. The battle was fierce, strikes and counters met with a flurry of button presses and strategic maneuvers.

But Yuuji was ready. With a triumphant shout, he dodged the attack and delivered a final, decisive blow. Sukuna’s character crumpled to the ground, defeated.

"K.O!"

For a moment, the room was silent. Sukuna stared at the screen in disbelief, his mouth hanging open. Then, with a dramatic wail, he exclaimed, “Nooo, Yuuji! You can’t do this to me, you brat!”

Yuuji burst into laughter, his victory dance full of exaggerated moves. “I told you I’d win, Uncle Kuna!”

Sukuna, unable to keep up the act, broke into a grin. “You little rascal,” he said, reaching over and playfully grabbing Yuuji. He pulled his nephew close and started tickling him mercilessly. “Take that! And that!”

Yuuji squirmed and laughed, trying to escape Sukuna’s grasp. “Stop, Uncle! STOP! I can’t- CAn'T! CAN'T BREAtHE!

Sukuna finally relented, letting Yuuji go and ruffling his hair affectionately. “Alright, alright, you win this time. But don’t think I’m going easy on you next time.”

Yuuji beamed, still catching his breath. “You’re just saying that because you don’t want to lose again!”

Sukuna laughed, the sound echoing warmly through the room. “Maybe. But you’d better keep practicing, kiddo. I won’t be this easy to beat forever.”

The room’s playful atmosphere was abruptly interrupted by the sound of a knock at the door. Sukuna’s assistant, a composed and efficient individual, stepped in, their voice calm yet insistent.

“Sir Sukuna,” the assistant called, their tone carrying an air of urgency. The sudden formality of the address cut through the laughter of the pink-haired duo, drawing both sets of eyes toward the door. “Toji Fushiguro and Megumi Fushiguro are here.”

Sukuna’s expression shifted from playful to one of seriousness. He scoffed, pushing himself up from his seat. “Took them long enough.” he muttered under his breath. Turning to Yuuji, he ruffled the boy’s hair one last time. “You play with Megumi, ‘kay? Me and Toji are just gonna chat.”

Yuuji nodded eagerly, already looking forward to spending time with his friend. As Sukuna’s assistant led Yuuji toward the play area, Toji and his son, Megumi, were ushered in. Toji, a formidable man with a rugged demeanor, walked in with his usual air of confidence. His son, Megumi, followed closely, his eyes sharp and observant despite his young age.

Sukuna stood in the center of the room, his presence commanding and authoritative. He greeted them with a nod, his assistant closing the door behind them. "Took you some time to get here." "Had to drop something off to my wife." “Come in,” he said, his voice carrying a weight that left no room for casual conversation.

Toji’s expression was serious as he stepped forward, his eyes meeting Sukuna’s with a sense of purpose. “Three things, Sukuna. We need to talk.”

Sukuna’s eyes narrowed slightly, his curiosity piqued. “Alright.” he said, motioning for Toji to continue. “What’s on your mind?”

Taglist: (tell me if i forgot to add you)

@obitobrigade @simpmetra @catobsessedlady @mangiswig @thulhu @aiicpansion @gojoscumslut @attackonnat @wavyhat2540

Ask under this post or any of the chapters I'll release if you want to be added. I would be posting polls or asking readers about certain things sometimes that would possibly affect the story in a minor way so stay tuned. :)

[iaminfourthwing]

The Generals Daughter

A/N: Oh my god guys, I am so so so sorry for the long wait. I had so much things to do, was out of the city often and simply had no motivation to write :( I am really sorry for making you wait an eternity. I really hope I finally get more time and motivation to write again.

TW: descripted violence, murder and blood

Chapter XIV

I’ll rip you apart.

I know for sure that this fight will get bloody. The way his menacing glare is set on me makes me realize, that he’ll do anything to bond the midnight blue beauty behind him and that killing me is his mission now. Two can play the game.

„There is no need for you to be here because this dragon will be MINE!“ He growls. He behaves like a fucking animal.

‚Please do me the favor and kill him, he bores me almost to death.‘ The dragons voice echoes through my head. With pleasure.

„Sorry to disappoint you, Trevor, but she already chose me. And she wants me to kill you, which I can’t say no to. Not, when I want to get rid of you as well.“ With that I stalk forward into his direction, drawing my little sword and throwing my bow and arrows to the side, losing unnecessary weight to fight more freely. I don’t plan to kill him softly, I want to shred him apart into pieces.

He has his sword already firmly in his hand while he puts himself in a (pathetic) fighting stance. When I am near enough, a battle cry rips from Trevors throat and he charges at me. He swings his sword at my neck but I throw myself to the side, catching his stomach with a deep nasty slice through his leathers. He roars in pain and I use this moment to my advantage to knock the handle of my sword onto his nose, breaking it in the process. Rage contorts his feature, making him look like a maniac.

‚You are efficient and fast, I like that. Keep up and we can get out of here‘ the feminine voice runs through my head again.

On it.

Raising my sword, again, I manage to push the blade through his right shoulder. Trevor stumbles and I fall forward. Distracted, I don’t notice the dagger in his hand and while he slips from my sword, he slices his blade through my leathers, cutting through the skin over my left collarbone down to the top of my right breast. I hiss. Fuck, the pain is harsh.

‚CONCENTRATE!‘ I am fucking trying!

I step back and look at his face. His greedy eyes stare back at me.

„You’ll go down, and then I’ll take your body with me to show the General and everyone else how weak you truly are“ he spits.

I scoff. He is the one bleeding out from several deep wounds, not me.

„Really? As if you aren’t the one suffering heavily from the bloodless right now.“ Annoyance coats my words.

This is going to end now!

„This dragon is MINE“ I roar, rage radiating from me.

Throwing my sword to the side, I unsheathed my favorite dagger … and attack.

He is catched off guard and steps back in surprise. Then, I am on him.

I punch him in his throat, making him splutter an struggling to catch his breath. Swinging my dagger upward I slice precisely through his cheek bone and through the left eye, damaging it heavily. He screams in agony, clutching his eye while stumbling backward.

„What … the fuck?!“ He struggles to get the words out.

The midnight blue beauty grumbles in approval.

Not wasting any more time, I swing again but barely catching his throat and so I push the dagger directly into it. Warm blood splatters on my face, running down the sides of my neck, soaking into my leathers. The blood running down makes my own open wound sting but I ignore the pain. 

Trevors knees give out and he sinks down, hands trying to stop the thick blood from pouring out, but still running through his fingers. Leveling down to his height I look him dead and cold into his dying eyes.

„You’ll never be better than I am. You are just a pathetic excuse of a cadet and way to arrogant. This dragon is mine and you’ll die today … because of me. I am finally the one to get rid of you.“

Standing back up I don’t waste any time and push the dagger through his chin back up into his head. More blood splatters on my face, which I still ignore. 

His eyes lose the maniac glimmer and his body falls forward. He is dead, finally.

‚Good job, Little Flame.‘ I turn around, facing her. Due to her words, a thankful smile stretches over my face. A true, happy smile. 

‚Come on, we have to get back. We are one of the last pairs.‘

Only then I notice how much colder it got and that the sun is already going down. The fight must have been longer, than I thought. Shit, it’s getting late.

While I climb her leg up I let my thoughts wander. 

Father will be mad, or maybe annoyed that I’ll show up this late. Probably punishing me again.

Fuck, did Vi make it? Did Tairn kept her seated? Did Rihannon made it? Ridoc? Sawyer? Liam?

‚I can assure you, Little Flame, all your questions will be answered. And now, hold on tight.‘

And with that, we are up in the air.

Taglist: @puttyly @tinystudentmiracle

[diazsdimples]

Buddietommy "can you even imagine the pain I felt?"

“Can you even imagine the pain I felt?” Eddie sobs. His magic swirls around him, a protective cloud of silver mist dripping off his fingertips, tendrils twirling down his forearms. The tears that leak from the corners of his eyes are the same hue, like rivulets of liquid silver running down his cheeks. He curls into a ball, griping his arms tightly as he pulls his knees to his chest. “That hurt so fucking bad. Please don’t ever make me do that again.

“Baby,” Buck whispers, reaching out tentatively to touch his newly Bonded partner. His magic blooms golden around him, sparkling and crackling with reactivity as his fingers brush the hairs on Eddie’s forearm. The room is rich with the scents of butterscotch and vanilla – the signatures of their magic, but there’s a sour tinge to them, their magic reflecting the soul-deep ache in their chests.

“I’m sorry,” Buck murmurs as he draws Eddie into his arms. Eddie’s touch soothes the pain to an extent, but there’s still a tug, a hollow where Tommy should be slotted in. “It’s over. We’re going to be okay now.”

Eddie nestles into Buck’s side, tucking his face into the hollow of Buck’s throat. “N-need Tommy,” he breathes against Buck’s skin.

“I know, baby, I need him too. He’ll be here in a second.”

Tommy had rushed from the room to vomit moments after the ritual had been performed. The pain of severing a Bond affected everyone differently – for Buck, it felt as though a knife had been plunged deep into his breastbone while a piece of his soul had been carved out.

Tommy had stood stoically as Eddie had cut their Bond, his magic hardening against him to form an intricate layer of bronze armour, rivalled only by Buck’s gold and Eddie’s silver armour of their own. Their magic’s natural defence against harm. The moment Eddie had stopped the spell and collapsed to the ground, Buck and Tommy’s pain surging through his body, Tommy had left, unable to keep his composure.

Buck felt the tug towards Tommy deep in his gut, and he knew Eddie could feel it too. To Buck, the sensation was familiar, something he’d felt every day for months. Eddie, however, hadn’t felt it since the day Shannon died. It was going to take some getting used to.

The sound of footsteps on the hardwood floors alert them to Tommy’s arrival, and a strong pair of arms circles around the two of them as Tommy sinks to the ground.  

“I’m here, sweetheart,” he murmurs as he kisses Buck softly, before nosing at the hair on Eddie’s brow, his lips brushing against his temple.

Eddie goes lax in Buck’s arms with a small whimper of relief. Tommy’s presence is like a balm, the ache from the severance fading as the three of them soak in their proximity, the new Bond thrumming and buzzing with energy. Buck can feel it coiled around his heart, tugging towards Tommy in one direction, and Eddie in the other. From now, he will always know where they are, and if they’re in danger.

Tommy whispers a few words in Latin, his magic glowing a rich bronze around him, the smell of burnt leaves filling the air around them, and Buck feels a warmth settle in the pit of his stomach, spreading through his veins. Any residual pain seeps from his body, and he sighs with relief, burying his face against Tommy’s chest.

They’re quiet for a moment, the three of them exhausted and shaky from the energy expended. They trade soft, gentle kisses, unwilling to untangle themselves and move somewhere more comfortable.

“I could feel your pain,” Eddie whispers, breaking the silence. Buck tightens his arms around Eddie as he waits for him to continue. Tommy’s hand comes up to stroke through Eddie’s hair, his other hand gripping Buck’s arm tightly.

“The moment I severed your Bond I felt it. It was the worst pain I’d ever felt, even worse than when Shannon –” he chokes, swallowing thickly. He takes a moment to breathe, to compose himself before continuing. “For a moment I thought I should just remake it for you two, to stop the pain. That I wasn’t worthy of being included.”

Buck’s heart clenches painfully, his hand coming up to cup the back of Eddie’s neck. He looks over at Tommy and their eyes lock. A singular bronze tear winds it way down Tommy’s cheek.

“What changed your mind?” he asks quietly, his voice strangled. Buck loosens Tommy’s hold on his arm and laces their fingers together.

“Your souls called to me,” Eddie confesses. He sits up slowly and presses a palm against Tommy and Buck’s chests. Buck can feel the tug of the new Bond as it stretches and pulls, accommodating both men. It tugs at him, calling him to press his lips against Eddie, or Tommy, to wrap them up in his arms and never let go. He can see the same emotions reflected on Tommy's face, and Eddie seems to notice too. He reaches for Tommy and pulls him close.

"We needed you," Tommy whispers against Eddie's throat. "We will always need you."

“There will never be an us without you, Eddie,” Buck adds. He conjures a ball of golden energy in his hand, the orb fizzing and sparkling around his fingers. It burns brighter than he’s ever seen it. He takes Eddie’s hand, placing it beneath his, then Tommy’s beneath Eddie’s, and the ball of energy grows, the colour changing from gold, to silver, to bronze, before becoming all three as their magic combines.

“See, we’re stronger together.”

“Yeah.” Eddie’s eyes shine as he looks up at them, his two, loving, Bonded partners. Nothing will ever separate them again. “Stronger together.”

[art-by-jas]

"Goodnight, Doll."

Summary: With the holidays approaching, Alex and you must hire more workers. Finn teases Sonny about his barista crush. Sonny takes you out to dinner.

After being told to take it easy and rest and relax, Sonny finally took the advice, he put in for a few days vacation, which Benson immediately approved. The sergeant explained that while they had started a big case, the Chicago Intelligence Unit, Detectives Lindsay and Halstead, were there to help. Sonny felt a little guilty about the timing, given the high stakes of the case, but Benson assured him they would be fine and that she understood his need to prioritize self-care. With his vacation approved, Sonny left the station feeling relief and excitement. He couldn't remember the last time he had taken real time off, having been too focused on work to prioritize relaxation.

As he entered the hallway of his apartment, he paused to glance back at your door. Stepping inside, he dropped his bag by the door and hurried to the kitchen. His fridge was woefully bare, a consequence of his long work hours and habit of eating most meals at the station's break room.

Surveying the sparse contents - some takeout containers, a couple of eggs, and a six-pack of beer - he let out a resigned sigh. If he wanted to unwind properly this week, a grocery run was clearly in order. With a renewed sense of determination, Sonny grabbed his keys and wallet and headed back out, the setting sun casting warm hues across the city skyline.

The familiar sounds of shopping carts and the hum of refrigerators greet Sonny as he steps into the store. He grabs a cart and begins browsing the aisles, gathering essentials like milk, bread, and vegetables. The store was surprisingly peaceful, with few other shoppers around. Sonny relishes the calm atmosphere, a welcome respite from the usual hustle and bustle of the city.

As he passed through the produce section, a display of fresh flowers caught his eye. On impulse, Sonny selects a bunch of mixed daisies, the camellias in particular drawing his attention. Placing the flowers in his cart, he feels a flicker of nervous anticipation. He’s not sure why he had chosen to buy them, but the sight of the blooms had made him think of you, and he found himself wanting to bring you a small gift.

After finishing his shopping and paying, Sonny exits the store feeling lighter and more at ease as he heads home.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

As the holiday season approached, your shop became increasingly busy, prompting you to make a difficult but necessary decision - you needed to hire additional staff to manage the growing workload.

After interviewing four candidates with Alex, you both carefully assessed their attributes. Jeziah, a 16-year-old boy, was lively but lacked maturity. Amy had a vibrant personality was a maybe. John seemed responsible, while Erin was efficient yet somewhat cold. Kiki had a positive attitude, but her tendency to gossip concerned you.

As you reviewed the interview notes in your office, you felt overwhelmed by the daunting task of selecting the right candidates to hire.

Alex glances at you, clearly sensing your hesitation. "What are you thinking, boss? Did any of them strike you as a good fit?"

You take a deep breath, biting your lip as you consider the question. "I'm not sure," you admitted.

Alex nods in agreement. "Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. It's not an easy decision."

The work schedule has Martha arriving for the next shift at 3 PM, followed shortly by Sean. Several other employees would clock in after them. As your shift neared its end, you began wrapping up loose ends, tidying the counter area, and restocking supplies for the incoming crew.

Hearing the bell over the door jingle, you glance up, your heart racing -It’s Sonny wearing casual clothes, jeans, and a plain grey t-shirt. His hair was a little messy as if he'd just woken up, and he had a hint of stubble on his jaw. Seeing him walk in with a man beside him, they talked, sharing a laugh as they strolled further into the coffee shop.

Sonny greets you with a warm smile, approaching the counter, the man beside him trailing a step or two behind before he glances at the menu board, his brows furrowed in concentration.

"Hey," Sonny says, giving you a casual nod. "Sorry to drop in unannounced like this. We just needed a little caffeine boost." His voice was deeper than usual, with a hint of gravel in it, and you find yourself drawn to the sound of it. Blinking, you regain your composure, replying with a friendly smile of your own.

"No need to apologize," you reply, your voice steady despite the flutter in your chest. "Happy to have you. What can I get for you guys?"

"Hmm.. Why not be festival, I’ll try one of the pumpkin pie lattes, what about you?” Sonny glances at his friend to answer you.

“An Americano, please,” The man requests.

You nod and jot down their order on your pad. "Coming right up." Turning to the espresso machine, you began to prepare their drinks, the familiar motions helping to calm your nerves a bit. As you continue to prepare their drinks, Sonny glances back at his friend, who is standing behind him.

“Are you going to introduce me to your friend?” You ask with a smile.

"Right," Sonny grins, "this is Finn. One of the detectives I work with"

Finn steps forward, extending his hand towards you with a charismatic smile. "Pleasure to meet you," he says.

His eyes are bright and friendly, and his grip is firm as you shake his hand. "Likewise," you respond.

The coffee machine finishes brewing and you pour the drinks into cups. Adding the finishing touches, you slid the drinks across the counter to Sonny and Finn.

"Here you go, guys," you said, offering them a smile. "One Americano and one pumpkin pie latte."

Sonny picks up his coffee, savoring the aroma, before taking a sip. Finn did the same, a satisfied sigh escaping him.

"This is damn good coffee," Finn says, nodding in appreciation.

Sonny shoots him a look, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Told you this place was worth the trip." he winks at you. Finn chuckles and takes another sip while eyeing the pastries on display.

"I'm gonna check out the food," he states, wandering over to the display case. Sonny watches him for a moment before turning back to you, a shy smile on his face.

"Sorry about him," he says, chuckling softly. "He's always hungry. Especially after a long night."He brings the coffee cup back to his lips, taking another sip before setting it down on the counter between you. There is a slight pause before he speaks again, his gaze lingers on yours.

"So, uh, how've you been?" he asks, his voice soft and casual. "It's been a while since we've seen each other."

"I've been good," you answer, a small smile on your face. "Things have been pretty busy here lately. And you?"

Sonny shrugs, his broad shoulders moving underneath the thin fabric of his shirt. "Oh, you know, the same old. Work, work, and more work. But today's my first day off in a while, so Finn and I thought we'd come by and grab some coffee before he has to go in later." He looks around the café, his eyes taking in the cozy atmosphere and the other customers scattered around. 

Just then, Finn appears at his side, holding a large cookie in his hand, 

"Man, I’m going to go broke, everything looks so good," Finn says.

You chuckle, “Why thank you, Finn, I appreciate it. You know what first one is free,”

“No, I can’t, c’mon, how much is it?”

“Seriously, a friend of Sonny is a friend of mine,” You smile at the other detective.

“Okay, if you are sure, Thanks,” Fin states with a grin.

You glance at the clock, noting the time. Sonny looks up from the cookie, his eyes locking on yours. He seems to hesitate for a moment before speaking.

"You know, since it's my day off, I was wondering if you'd be interested in hanging out? Maybe getting lunch or something?"

A flutter of excitement stirs in your stomach at his invitation. You hadn't expected him to ask, but you found yourself nodding almost immediately.

"Sure, I'd love to," you respond, a smile tugging at the corners of your lips. Sonny's face lit up with a smile, relief clearly etched on his features. He glances at Finn, who is now eyeing a slice of cake with great interest.

"Great," he says, his voice a bit brighter now. "We can figure out the details later. I'll text you."

You nod, feeling your heart rate pick up a notch at the thought of spending more time with Sonny. "Sounds good," you reply.

⋆｡˚ ☁︎ ˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆⋆｡˚ ☁︎ ˚｡⋆｡˚☽˚｡⋆

As the two detectives walk outside, Finn shoots Sonny a knowing look before nudging Sonny lightly.

"You dog," Finn teases, a sly grin spreading across his face.

Sonny rolls his eyes but does not suppress a smirk. "Shut up," he says, giving Finn a playful smack on the arm.

"You couldn't resist, could you?" Finn persists, elbowing Sonny in the side. "Had to come back and see your little barista crush."

Sonny's face flushes a little, but he tries to play it cool. "She's not a crush," he protests, shoving his hands in his pockets. "We're just friends."

Finn raises an eyebrow, a smug expression on his face. "Just friends, huh? Is that why you were stuttering and blushing like a schoolboy when you asked her to hang out?"

"I was not stuttering," Sonny retorts, his face turning even redder. "And I wasn't blushing. It's hot out here, that's all."

"Yeah, hot in November, sure…” Finn laughs but relents, giving Sonny's shoulder a gentle punch. "Alright, alright. I'll lay off. But seriously, I'm happy for you, man. You deserve some happiness in your life."

Sonny's expression softens, and he shoots Finn a grateful smile. "Thanks, man," he says, the tension in his shoulders relaxing a bit. "I just hope I don't mess it up."

Finn claps him on the back. "You won't. You're a good guy, Carisi. And she seems to be a great girl. Just be yourself, and things will work out."

`. ݁ ⋆.˚ 𓆉°❀⋆  ݁°𓇼⋆ ˎˊ˖ .ೃ࿔*.˚˖𓍢ִ໋`. ݁ ⋆.˚ 𓆉°❀⋆  ݁°𓇼⋆ ˎˊ˖ .ೃ࿔*.˚˖𓍢ִ໋

When Sonny arrives home, he heads for the shower to freshen up. As the warm water cascades over him, he can't help but replay the scene in the café in his mind. The way you had smiled at him, the sound of your voice. He tried to remind himself to play it cool, to not come on too strong. You were just a friend, after all. But the memory of the way your eyes had lit up when he asked you to hang out made his heart race. 

As he got out of the shower and dried off, he mentally ran through different ideas for places to go for lunch. He wanted it to be somewhere casual, somewhere you would feel comfortable. He just hoped he wouldn't mess it up.

Gimme a min, a cup carrier decided to give out on me as I handed it to a customer. Covered in coffee -_- Let me take a shower first and I’ll be right over :)

Sonny saw your message and couldn't help but chuckle, he quickly typed out a reply.

Ouch, that sounds like a mess. Take your time though, no rush. I'll wait.

He sits down on the edge of his bed, trying to distract himself with his phone. But his mind keeps wandering back to you, wondering what you'd wear, how you'd do your hair. He shakes his head, scolding himself for being so damn smitten. To pass the time, he changes into a fresh pair of jeans and a dark blue button-down shirt. He runs his fingers through his still-damp hair a few times, trying to style it in a casual yet presentable way.

Sonny practically jumps at the sound of the knock ten minutes later, his heart pounding in his chest as he quickly gets up from the bed and goes to the door. He takes a deep breath to steady his nerves before opening the door, and his breath hitches as he sees you standing there, looking fresh and beautiful in a simple t-shirt and jeans.

"Hey," he says, his voice coming out a little huskier than he intended. He smiles, trying to act casual even though his body is buzzing with anticipation. "Ready to go?"

You smile back, "Yeah, I'm starving," you reply, your stomach growling as if to emphasize your point.

Sonny chuckles, "Well, let's get you fed, then," he says, gesturing for you to exit first.

He shuts the door behind him and leads the way down the hall, his mind racing with a mixture of excitement and nerves. As you two walk side by side, he’s acutely aware of how close you are, how he can practically feel the heat radiating off your body.

He struggles to find something to talk about, "So, uh..." he begins, racking his brain for a decent conversation starter. "How was your morning? Was the shift okay before the spill incident?" He cringes inwardly at how lame the question sounded.

You laugh softly, apparently unfazed by his awkwardness. "Yeah, the rest of the morning was pretty uneventful, thankfully. But I did give the customer a free drink to make up for it."

Sonny nods, relieved that you hadn't seemed to pick up on his nervousness. He shoved his hands in his pockets, trying to keep them from fidgeting.

"That's good," he says, pausing for a moment before adding, "So where do you want to go for lunch? I'm cool with pretty much anything."

You think for a moment before answering, "Hmm, I've been craving a burger all morning. Do you like burgers?"

A grin tugs at the corners of Sonny's lips at your suggestion. "Burgers sound perfect," he agrees. "There's a place a couple blocks from here that has really great burgers if you're cool with walking a bit."

You nod, falling into step beside him as you walk together towards the burger joint. The sun was warm on your skin, and a gentle breeze occasionally rustled through your hair.

Sonny is quiet for a moment, as if lost in thought. After a few minutes of walking, he suddenly speaks up.

"You know, I have to say," he begins, his voice soft, "You look nice today. I mean, you always look nice, but today especially."

A blush creeps up your cheeks at the compliment, and you smile shyly. "Thanks," you reply, glancing over at him. "You look pretty good yourself."

Sonny's heart skips a beat at your words, and he smiles back at you, feeling a flutter of excitement in his stomach. As you continue walking, the conversation flows smoothly between the two of you. Sonny finds himself relaxing more and more, enjoying the easy banter and the feeling of your presence beside him. The whole world seemed to shrink down to just the two of you, the noise and chaos of the city fading into the background.

‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.

Finally, you arrive at the burger joint, and the smell of frying meat and melted cheese drifts out through the open doors. Sonny holds the door open for you and follows you inside. The place was bustling with activity, but there was a relaxed, carefree ambiance to the place. Both of you are greeted by the hostess and are shown to a small booth tucked away in the corner. As you sit down across from each other, Sonny notices the way the sunlight streaming through the window makes your eyes sparkle.

You take a look at the menu and begin to scan the options, while Sonny tries to tear his gaze away from your face. He picks up his own menu, pretending to look at the choices, but he can't seem to focus on anything except the way you were biting your lip as you read.

"What are you planning on getting?" He asks, trying to distract himself from his growing attraction towards you.

"Hmm," You tap your chin with your finger. "I'm thinking of getting the bacon cheeseburger, extra cheese, and extra bacon, with some onion rings on the side."

Sonny chuckles, amused by your decadent choice. "Extra cheese AND extra bacon? You're a woman after my own heart," he teases.

You shoot him a smile. "Hey, you only live once, right? Might as well go big or go home".

Sonny raises an eyebrow, a mischievous gleam in his eye. "Oh, I'm all for going big. You haven't seen me at an all-you-can-eat buffet."

You laugh, "Is that a challenge?"

Sonny leans back in his seat, a smirk playing on his lips. "Baby, I'll challenge you to anything," he says, his voice low and silky. He couldn't help but notice the way your eyes darkened at his words. A flush crept up your cheeks, and you try to hide it by pretending to study your menu again. Sonny watches you closely, enjoying your reaction to his flirtation. He was feeling emboldened now, his earlier nerves almost forgotten.

The waitress comes over and takes your orders, and Sonny asks for a burger and fries as you request your order. As the waitress walks away, Sonny leans back in his seat, a smug smile on his face. "So, tell me something interesting about yourself."

You laugh, rolling your eyes good-naturedly at his smugness. "Oh, you want the good old 'tell me about yourself' question, huh?"

You think for a moment before replying, "Well, I'm not that interesting, honestly. I grew up in a small town, moved here for college, and never left. I like to read and write and draw in my free time, and love watching true crime documentaries."

Sonny listens intently, genuinely intrigued by your responses. "A small-town girl, huh? I can totally see that. You have that wholesome vibe," he teases, grinning mischievously.

He leans forward, resting his forearms on the table. "Let me guess, you're secretly a huge fan of 'Unsolved Mysteries', aren't you?"

You chuckle, shaking your head. "Guilty as charged," you admit. "I have been known to binge-watch entire seasons in one sitting."

Sonny's eyes sparkle with appreciation, his smile widening. "See? I knew I liked you for a reason," he says emphatically. "I'm always looking for someone to discuss good old Robert Stack." You laugh, enjoying his enthusiasm. 

The waitress comes back with their orders and sets down two large and delicious-looking burgers in front of you. Sonny's stomach growls loudly at the sight of the food, and you can’t help but chuckle at his unabashed hunger.

He immediately digs into his burger, taking a large bite and letting out a satisfied moan. "Oh, my God," he says around a mouthful of food, eyes practically rolling back in his head. "This is heaven. Pure, delicious, greasy heaven."

You laugh incredulously, shaking your head at his shameless lack of manners. "Seriously? I've never seen anyone get so excited over a burger before."

You delicately take a bite of your burger, closing your eyes in pleasure as the flavors hit your tongue. "Okay, I have to admit, this is pretty damn good."

Sonny swallows his mouthful, a contented grin stretches across his face. "See? I told you," he says, winking at you. He takes another bite, trying to speak through a mouthful of food. "So, tell me more about your love for drawing. Are you one of those people who can draw a perfect photorealistic sketch of an apple or something?"

You snort, waving away the notion. "I'm no Da Vinci, that's for sure. I mainly doodle in my sketchbook when I'm bored or feeling inspired."

You shrug, taking another bite of your burger. "It's just a hobby, really. Not something I'd ever consider doing professionally. But it's relaxing."

Sonny nods, taking a moment to finish off his burger before responding. "Hobbies are important," he says, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "It's good to have something to help you unwind and relax. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "So what do you draw? Landscapes, people, animals... what's your go-to subject?"

You think for a moment, contemplating your preferences. "I'm not sure I have a go-to subject. I like drawing people, but I also enjoy drawing nature, buildings, animals, anything with texture and shadows." You take a thoughtful bite of onion ring, chewing slowly as you continue. "I just doodle whatever strikes my mood at the moment, honestly. Sometimes it's a person, other times it's a landscape or a still life."

Sonny listens intently, feeling an unexpected pang of admiration for your creative pursuits. "Wow, that sounds really impressive," he says, his voice a touch softer than before. "I've always been jealous of people who can draw or paint. I can barely manage stick figures." He chuckles self-deprecatingly, running his hand through his hair. "But what I lack in artistic talent, I make up for in other areas, I suppose."

You arch an eyebrow, teasing him. "Oh yeah? And what areas might those be?" You bit back a smile, enjoying the banter between the two of you.

A cocky smile spreads across his face. "Oh, I have many talents, doll," Sonny drawls. 

You try to hide your flush by taking a long sip of soda, but Sonny's smug smile tells you he'd noticed the effect his words had on you. He reached across the table and grabbed an onion ring from your plate, popping it in his mouth, and winks.

You feign outrage, pretending to swat at his hand. "Hey, hey, hey! Get your own onion rings, buddy."

Sonny grins unrepentantly, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "Sorry, sorry," he says, not sounding sorry at all. "I just couldn't help myself. These onion rings are amazing."

You roll your eyes but can't help but smile at his cheeky behavior. "You're lucky you're cute," you say, trying to sound stern.

Sonny's grin widens at your compliment. "You think I'm cute, eh? Careful, doll, you might make me blush."

Sonny chuckles, a wicked twinkle in his eye. "Oh, so you think I'm cute, huh?" he teases, leaning back in his seat and resting his arms behind his head.

You shake your head, trying to keep a straight face. "Don't let it go to your head," you warn. 

Sonny feigns innocence, placing a hand over his heart. "Me? Let it go to my head? Never," he replies, his voice dripping with mock sincerity.

You laugh, shaking your head again. "You're insufferable, you know that?" you say, but there was no heat behind the words. You were starting to find his confidence flirting a bit endearing.

Sonny rests his chin on his hand and gives you a crooked smile. "But you like it," he responds, his eyes sparkling. "Admit it."

You opened your mouth to protest, but then closed it again, realizing that you really did like it. His confidence and cheeky charm were strangely attractive, even if you didn't want to admit it to yourself.

"Maybe," you finally concede, a small smile playing on your lips.

Sonny's grins again, his blue eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "I knew it," he states, leaning back in his seat again. "You can't resist the Carisi charm."

You roll your eyes, trying to hide your smile. "Oh, yes, I'm completely helpless in the face of your charms," you voice dryly, knowing full well the effect he was having on you.

"What about you, tell me something interesting about you," you ask.

"Well, I grew up and still am very much Catholic, played basketball and little league in high school. I'm O-negative, so if you ever need a transfusion, I'm your guy," Sonny continues telling random facts about his life.

As Sonny tells you more about his upbringing and his hobbies, you can’t help but feel more and more intrigued by him. There was something genuine and endearing about his willingness to share these random details about himself.

"O-negative, huh?" you say, smiling. "I'll keep that in mind."

"I worked in homicide, and I was a patrol officer before becoming a detective in Staten Island's SVU." Sonny continues.

He reached for another of your onion rings and pops it into his mouth, winking at you. You swatted at his hand again, but this time with less conviction. "Hey, those are mine!" you protested, but you couldn't help the small laugh that escaped your lips. The waitress comes over, leaving the check at the edge of the table. Sonny quickly glances at the amount before pulling out his wallet.

"Here, let me get this," he says, pulling out a credit card.

You are a little surprised by his quick move. "Oh, you don't have to do that," you protest. "We can split the bill."

Sonny shakes his head, waving off your protest. "Nah, I got this," he declares, giving you a look that brooked no argument. The waitress comes back and takes the card, leaving the two of you alone at the table again. Sonny leans back in his seat, studying you with a thoughtful expression on his face.

You fidget a bit under his gaze, feeling a little self-conscious. "What?" you ask, a hint of defensiveness in your voice.

Sonny smiles, his gaze softening. "Nothing. I just like looking at you, that's all," he replies, his voice a low rumble.

Your heart skips a beat, and you try to hide the effect his words have on you by averting your gaze. "You're laying it on a bit thick, aren't you?" you say.

Sonny laughs, unperturbed by your attempt to downplay his compliments. "Maybe a little," he admits, shamelessly. "But I only say what I mean, doll."

You roll your eyes, but you can’t help the small smile that tugs at the corners of your mouth. "You're impossible, you know that?" you express, but there is no real heat behind the words.

Sonny grins, leaning forward in his seat. "What can I say? You bring out the impossible in me."

His eyes flicker up to the waitress returning with his credit card before looking back at you. "Ready to go?" he asks, rising to his feet and holding out a hand.

You accept his hand, feeling a shiver run down your spine as your skin makes contact with his.

"Yeah, let's go," you voice, standing up and smoothing out your clothes.

Sonny squeezes your hand before releasing it, instead placing a hand on the small of your back as he guides you out of the restaurant. As you step out into the crisp night air, a brief shiver runs through you, the cool temperature a stark contrast to the warmth of the restaurant. Sonny notices you shiver and, without a word, slips off his jacket and drapes it over your shoulders. The material was warm and smelled faintly of his cologne, and you instinctively snuggled into the comforting scent.

"Can't have you freezing on me," he comments, his voice a low rumble.

"Thanks," you mutter, pulling the jacket tighter around your shoulders. Sonny slips his hands into his pockets and starts walking, falling into step beside you. 

As you stroll down the busy city street, a comfortable silence settles between you. Every so often, you stole a side glance at him, admiring his profile in the soft glow of the streetlights. He catches you looking more than once, and each time he flashes a cocky grin, knowing full well the effect he was having on you. 

The night air still has a chill, but with his jacket around your shoulders and the warmth of his presence beside you, you feel surprisingly warm. You try to ignore the butterflies fluttering in your stomach.

The apartment building comes into view, its familiar brick facade a welcome sight. Sonny glances at you as you approach, then slows his pace as you reach the steps leading up to the doors.

The elevator dings and the doors open, pulling you both back to reality. You step out onto the floor of your apartment doors opposite each other.

Sonny turns to face you, his expression unreadable. "Tonight was... fun," he smiles, his voice a little rougher than usual.

"Yeah, it was," you agree, "Thanks for dinner."

Sonny steps closer, closing the gap between you. Before you had time to react, he cupped your face with both hands, tilting your chin up to meet his gaze. Your heart leaps into your throat as Sonny steps towards you, his hands cupping your face gently. His warm fingers brush against your skin, sending little tingles down your spine.

As you meet his intense gaze, your breath hitches in your throat. You can feel the heat radiating off his body, and you can smell the faint scent of his cologne.

"Sonny..." you whisper, your voice barely more than a breath.

The loud voices of the kids down the hall break the moment between you and Sonny. You both jump apart, momentarily startled. You let out a shaky breath, feeling a sting of disappointment at the interruption. You look up at Sonny, trying to gauge his reaction. He looked equally annoyed, his face set in a scowl as he watched the rowdy kids run by. As the kids disappear around the corner, Sonny turns back to you, a small frown still on his face. "Sorry about that," he says, rubbing the back of his neck. "Kids, am I right? I should probably let you get some sleep," he speaks, his voice a little rough around the edges. He glances over his shoulder at his own apartment door, then back at you. 

You nod, feeling the same pang of disappointment at the thought of the evening coming to an end. "Yeah, I probably should," you reply, trying to sound casual. Yet, you both stand there for a moment, neither one of you quite ready to say goodnight just yet. The silence stretches between you, filled with an unspoken tension. You could feel the heat of Sonny's gaze on you, and you felt inexplicably drawn to him, like there was more to say, more to discover.

Finally, Sonny speaks up, "Goodnight, Doll."

"Night, Sonny." You give him a small smile before you turn to enter your apartment, Sonny does the same to his.

As you close the door behind you, you lean against it and sigh. Despite the interruption from the rowdy kids, the evening had been one of the best you'd had in a long time. Something about Sonny fascinated you and made your heart beat a little faster. You wander over to your couch and collapse onto it, replaying the evening in your mind, a smile tugging at the corners of your lips.

Masterlist

[kitschykarcass]

Gauze

(or Peter Parker is a hot mess and Tony is there to comfort him)

Shocked was one word to describe how Tony felt.

He knew that Peter was going to be later than usual because of a dentist appointment but Peter failed to mention that it was not your usual cleaning and check-up. 

The uncommon quiet following the opening of the elevator doors is what first drew Tony’s attention away from his current blueprint and towards the slightly pathetic looking boy.

Said boy, walked off the elevator into the lab, bloody gauze in mouth.

Tony took a second to look him over before speaking.

“What the hell happened Pete? I thought you were just getting your teeth cleaned!”

“It’s not a big deal.”

As Peter spoke, he visibly struggled to get the words out and keep the spit in. Tony, of course, noticed, his frustration with the boy only growing.

“For the protege of the world’s most famous genius, you aren’t too bright are you.”

Despite his limited facial control, Peter managed to make his offense visible.

Tony in turn, raised his eyebrows before responding.

“Come one P, you really, genuinely believe that is not a big deal. You have blood on your shirt.”

Peter looked down then and clearly noticed the stain for the first time and let out a small displeased whine.

“What the hell did they even do to you?”

Peter repositions the gauze before answering.

“They took out one of my teeth, it was infected."

At that, Tony closes his eyes and takes several deep breaths to compose himself.

“You had a tooth infection so bad it had to be pulled and you didn’t think to tell me?” 

While he said it, Tony could help but think that he sounded like a disappointed father.

Peter turned his stare downwards and mumbled back:

“I didn’t want to bother you.”

"Peter..."

Tony let out a sigh while rubbing at temples.

“...you aren’t bothering me by telling me what is happening in your life. I need to know these things. If I knew about this, I would have told you to take the day and rest, maybe send some ice cream to your apartment. I would never be bothered.” 

Peter doesn’t respond, Tony still unable to see his face.

“Once you are feeling better, we’re going to have a conversation about you lacking the ability to take care of yourself. That sounds like a plan?"

He pauses a moment, waiting for a reply

All he gets is a series of small sniffles.

“Alrighty, enough of that. Let’s get you over the couch.”

He reaches out to grab Peter’s upper arm and guide him towards a small living room set that Pepper insisted he get for the lab.

The kind gesture is the last straw for Peter and he bursts into tears the second Tony's hand touches his arm.

Tony remains surprisingly calm in light of the sudden outpouring of emotion. He rubs Peter’s shoulder gently while guiding him to the couch.

Peter sits down cautiously, clearly afraid of moving too suddenly and causing more discomfort. Tony joins him and pulls him into a tight hug.

They stay like that for a while, Tony rubbing soothing circles on Peter's back as he lets out all the feelings from the undoubtedly miserable day.

Neither says anything until they pull apart.

To Tony’s surprise, it is Peter who speaks first. Although, he can hardly hear it from the muffling of the gauze.

“I don’t feel good Mr. Stark.”

“Oh buddy.” Is all Tony can manage to say before Peter is crying again.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. Everything is okay.” They are back to hugging again, both having stopped caring about the mix of snot, silva, and blood getting on their clothes.

Eventually, they pull themselves apart, Tony breaking the silence this time.

“How about you lay down and we can watch something together? If you’re up for it, I can still get you that ice cream too.”

That draws a small smile from Peter.

“Thank you, Mr. Stark. That would be nice.

Eeeeekkkk, this is my first fanfic! It isn't the best thing ever but I am trying to put myself out there more. I hope you enjoy!

[amurderandconspiracy]

A Crow’s Caw and Crumbling Masks

>>> 

**Dragon Age Veilguard spoilers AHEAD, read at your own peril ** Follow up to previous scenes (in order): - Scents and Grief - Letter to Lucanis - Fives Stages, Two Talons, and a lost little Crow This scene is prompted by what was not shown of the companions during the Regret Prison. This scene centers on Lucanis and Illario My Rook is Faelarin de Riva, nonbinary Crow!Mage! [see here]

>>> 

The shadows under Lucanis’ eyes had become bruises and the edges of his sclera tinted red from rubbing away sleep and the lack thereof.  His eyes squinted in concentration as he looked at the slips of paper before him that made up the diagrams, maps, theories, and sparse correspondence which comprised the team’s information while looking for Rook.  He shook himself a moment and had to count to three to refocus his mind and sight, both suffering severely under the strain of the last couple weeks.  One would think for the number of times that Spite had taken over in this period, there would be some benefit of sleep, however the physical, mental, and emotional strain of each attempt was taking a toll and deprivation of rest was dragging both his and Spite’s energy reserves to breaking.

“As I was saying,” Emmrich repeated, having caught the slip in Lucanis’ concentration, “we know the section of the Fade where Rook is being kept is separated or shielded from the rest of the immaterial dream. The harmonics of particular emotions seem to ripple out in different oceanic patterns and Spite has said they can taste hints of Rook in those waves.” Emmrich was ensconced amongst a chaotic spread of books and treatises, sifting through loose sheets of theory and figures as he attempted to chart the uncharted.

“Yes, but isolating where in the vastness of the Fade has resulted in depletions in both Lucanis’ strength and Spite’s essence…we are running out of time” countered Neve, gesturing with their palm up to direct attention to their exhausted assassin.

“I am well aware Neve,” bit Emmrich, “but to delve this far without pushing forth…” Emmrich stopped, attempted to catch his retort and closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath to better concentrate and calm his mind.

Lucanis had been listening the entire time, trying to contribute something of worth to this debate but his mind was lagging and he was no mage, able to speak about the delicate threads of magic.  He was a finely tuned weapon that was starting to lose its edge with each passing day.  As days turned into weeks, his grasp on reality and sanity were beginning to fray. He spent every moment in Rook’s room, when not in deliberation with the team and devising plans of attack or being placed into a magically-induced twilight for Spite to pilot their search through the Fade. He could not eat, only managing when Lace or Taash would pester him into chewing on something they had whipped together.

“TRY AGAIN. SPITE WILL FIND ROOK. SPITE TASTED PAIN LAST. WILL FOLLOW. LET SPITE SEARCH DEEPER!” Spite yelled through Lucanis, using the dwindling energy of his host to seize control.  He emphatically slammed his fists on the table, scattering some of the loose papers and rolls of correspondence.

The sudden thrust of sound and emotion seemed to set everyone on edge, Emmrich blinking rapidly with widened eyes and Neve heaving a frustrated sigh and throwing up her hands, turning away from the table, her prosthetic scraping slightly on the stone flooring as her own strain was showing in her movements.

“Spite, while we agree that we must make all efforts, allowing you to delve too deep has immense danger attached to it.  The last time you ventured into an eddy, the tether became strained and Lucanis nearly died.” Emmrich spoke with a firm but compassionate voice, knowing his tone could easily contribute to an escalated tantrum, managing to ignite an already smoldering fire of seared nerves.

“SPITE. WANTS. ROOK. HOME!” Spite raged in frustration his growling voice reverberating through the expansive room and thudding against the stone walls and roof.  In a fit of pique, Spite started to swing Lucanis’ arms in a destructive arc against the papers on the table. 

With his last remaining reserves of will, Lucanis wrested control of his body from the enraged demon, fighting to cease the destruction as he growled aloud, “We know Spite, we are trying! Throwing a tantrum is not going to get Rook back and ruining what little information we have collected here is actively harming our efforts!” Lucanis’ voice had notes of defeat threaded into it as he implored the demon to see reason.

Neve stormed away at this point and called over her shoulder as she slammed her hands on the doors to push them open, “I need air, we all need air…”

Lucanis momentarily slumped against the table, having expended most of his energy in taking control from Spite the fight to keep his tantrum contained to their body. He had hit a wall, feeling whatever control or hope had allowed him to survive to this moment without total collapse starting to slip into a raw despair threatening to overwhelm him. He pushed up from the table, stepped back and heedlessly started to walk toward the now open doors of the dining hall, stumbling slightly but needing to get away, needing to escape. Emmrich started to protest but something in the look on Lucanis’ face and the posture of his body stilled his objection. His gold-ringed fingers spread forth, paused in midair, halted as the necromancer processed the look and thought better than to interfere.

Lucanis blindly wove an unsteady path across the space to the main building of the Lighthouse and down to the eluvian room, his mind blank and his eyes burning with unspent tears. He had to make it to Treviso, just make it there without collapsing, he could manage that.  He held himself together as he unsteadily stepped through the shimmering magic of the portal, emerging in the next moment on the balcony outside of the Diamond.  He proceeded from the mirror to the broken window, crossed the precarious expanse over the casino and walked with singular determination towards the meeting space on the right.  Viago stood with Teia in a heated conversation, their bodies speaking tense volumes that contradicted the combative tone of the dialogue.  Viago was the first to look up, his always active paranoia telling him of an approaching threat before focusing on Lucanis. Viago’s eyes swept over Lucanis with a critical discernment and he raised his hand to still Teia’s started welcome.

A dead tone ushered forth from Lucanis’ mouth as he stated his purpose plainly, not bothering for pleasantries or social obligations, “Take me to him.”

Viago registered the request, his weary eyes and fatigued countenance pulling slightly as he refrained from inquiry or objection.  He spared a moment and shook his head at Teia, wordlessly requesting she not comment or intrude. He gestured then to Lucanis to follow him as he quickly marshalled his thoughts and shepherded Lucanis to exit down the stairs to the ziplines.

After several station exchanges and wordlessly traversing the network of the Crow’s Road, they came to a penthouse apartment, descending from the rooftops to the terrace outside of two open hinged glass doors.  As their feet hit the floor of the terrace, a smug voice emanated from the interior of the living quarters, “Ahh, finally decided to visit,” quipped Illario as he stepped out from behind a bar island, wine glass in hand, “To what do I owe this unexpected hon…” His pithy barb lost as his skilled eyes took in the unkempt and battered appearance of his cousin, focusing intently on the reddened, saturated water line of his eyes, and the crumbling façade of a tortured man. “…cousin…?” Illario spoke softly, unnerved enough to drop his guard and usual pompous aire.

“they…I…” Lucanis barely registered details in the present, all he heard or saw was his brother across the room and Lucanis’ carefully constructed illusion of control crumbled. A plea escaped him as he fell to his knees, tears falling down his face and breath hitching with the loss of composure, “Illario…”

Illario dropped his wine glass to the counter’s surface, little caring if it stayed upright or toppled. He stepped forward, familial instinct and shared youth driving him, as he rushed to cousin’s side, his eyes made contact with Viago’s in a searching appeal for context, aid, or understanding. He spared a moment to look down and offer, “I am here, cousin…” as his hand touched Lucanis’ shoulder, noting the general disarray of his clothing as if the man had not taken any care of his person in some time. He looked up at Viago again, face contorted in dismay and disbelief in Lucanis’ actions and appearance.

Viago set his jaw and tried to maintain a balance of stoic expression and displeased judgement as he looked at Illario but spoke in a hushed tone, “Fae…Rook…is lost in the Fade…” his speech was terse but Illario’s well trained ears heard the restrained emotion bleeding through Viago’s phrasing.

“Illario, I lost Fae…they didn’t know… No pude decirles lo importante que son para mí…” Lucanis managed to gasp out between sharp intakes of unsteady breath, his chest bound into knots, restricting his lungs as he labored and fought to keep the tears back and his emotions from spilling forth.

Years of resentment and barely restrained jealousy bled away as memories of their youth, of this brother who drove him senseless with talk of wyverns, of their shared escapades and fondness for trouble crashed into Illario like the night of Lucanis’ wake, when his own drunken grief overcame him. “Meu ermano, fale comigo por favor” he implored, falling into his mother’s southern Antivan.

[huggywuggysuppy]

Cleo & Gem Drabble WL Ep 4

Conversation/argument about Gem's grudge for Pearl.

Gem journeyed out to chop wood near the new G’s base, several paces from the main river. She needed lots of dark oak wood, and didn’t want to stray too close to the pale forest. As she labored away, she kept looking over her shoulder or hesitating on a swing or even just a gnawing buzz behind her eyes. She was trying to acclimate to the normal game speed, but everything felt off. Too slow.

A few trees in, Cleo approached, picking their way through the fallen branches and bunches of leaves. “Hey Gem! Whatcha up to?”

“Cleo!” Gem paused to greet them, resting her axe on her shoulder. “Just gathering wood. Hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all. I’m taking a break from building: need to clear my head.” Cleo settled in, sitting on a stump Gem had left. They pulled out some logs of their own, lazily stripping them as they talked.

“I bet. Pretty ambitious to build a whole new base this late in.”

“Well, we were expecting to have more time. But, y’know.” Clean lines of bark began gathering at Cleo’s feet. They smiled wryly. “At least the Spanners dug out a basement for us.”

Gem snorted. “I’m glad Mumbo succeeded at least once -- he spent most of the session failing to catch me!”

“Aww, I’m proud of him. Scott can handle being a life down.” Cleo pointed their blade at Gem. “He was this close to giving it to one of us!”

“Of course he was.”

They both shook their heads in exasperation. And a little sadness. The tree Gem was working on shuddered and groaned, taking its sweet time as it fell to the forest floor. She started hacking away at it. Cleo sat back, staring up at the canopy of leaves.

“BigB betrayed us.”

Gem took a step back from the trunk, frowning. Cleo was still looking up, throat bobbing as they swallowed.

“I’m sorry. That must hurt.”

“Yeah.” Cleo let out a long sigh. And when they looked back, their eyes were sharp. “But we’ll get him back worse.”

They both went back to their labors. For a while, there was a lapse in conversation. Not quite uncomfortable, but a sort of mutual grief. The air was thick with the weight of the next session, and the one after, and the one after that. They could be kind, but never allies. Not this time.

Cleo’s blade hesitated on the next stroke. “Is that what you’re planning to do with Pearl?”

Immediately, Gem got defensive. Of course, Scott won’t leave her alone about apologizing, now Cleo was trying. They couldn’t enjoy even this moment as friends.

“I stand by my decisions.” Gem narrowed her eyes. “Are you here to call me crazy?”

“No!” Cleo looked a little horrified. “Never.”

“Yeah.” She drove her axe deep into the trunk. “Just look what it’s done to Pearl.”

“…You don’t actually think she’s crazy, right?”

“Of course not.” Gem yanked her blade out with too much force. “I’m talking about her reputation for being ‘unstable.’ Having to ‘control her better’ and all.”

“Right.”

Cleo cut another length off the log, face pinched in guilt. No doubt since they contributed to that reputation. Not that Gem wasn’t enabling it either. Everything felt so layered here: always trying to convince someone they’re wrong or that you’re right. The social game sucked. And here she was playing it anyway.

“It’d be easier if she was.” Gem started. “Crazy, I mean. It’d make things less personal.”

Quietly, Cleo nodded, urging her to continue. The leaves swirled around Gem, drawing slow patterns, crinkling and taking their sweet time falling. She chopped another chunk off the trunk.

“She made her choice.” Gem swallowed. “Really thought it out too, it wasn’t heat of the moment or anything.”

“Mmm.” Cleo hummed. “I’m sure you’ve heard her reasoning.”

“What, that she was closer to Scar? That’s the whole point, Cleo!” Gem inhaled sharply. “She chose him over me, and it wasn’t even a competition. We were never allied!”

Everything felt a little too fast now. The bubbling of the river was near boiling. The birds were too high pitched. Her breath came too quickly.

“No matter how much I thought we were.” She finished quietly.

Cleo looked sadly at her. Gem slumped, wedging her axe in the wood and falling onto the log next to it. She drew her fingers through her hair, taking deep breaths. After a while, Cleo spoke, choosing their words carefully.

“I mean I’m not one to talk about holding grudges, but don’t you think this is a bit… cruel?”

“What?” Her voice was dry.

“She already won. Well, Scar won. But hating her now only hurts you both.”

Seriously? Yeah, Cleo can’t talk. Besides, the only reason they’re trying to calm Gem down is to benefit the G’s. Everyone wants to be allies, part of the family, under her protection, and it’s exhausting.

“I hurt her too badly, okay?” Gem threw her hands up. “Killed her and her allies too many times. I deserved to be backstabbed, is that what you want?”

“No, Gem!” Cleo exclaimed. They dropped their tools and jabbed a finger at her. “Pearl was mad at you from that, and she got her revenge, and let it go that season. You wronged her, she got her catharsis. You’re the one dragging it into the next.”

Her nails curled into the trunk, splinters digging into skin. Gem wasn’t hating her for no reason! Pearl hurt her, and hadn’t really apologized for it, and now everyone was calling her petty and ridiculous for not letting it go!

“So it is my fault.” Gem hissed. “I’m rightfully punished for killing her, but when I’m hurt by her, I’m the villain again.”

“No, Gem, that’s not—“

“I deserve my revenge too.” Gem crossed her arms. “Or catharsis, or whatever.”

“Okay, how?!” Cleo shouted. They’d risen halfway off the stump, steps away from lunging at Gem. Furiously, they sat back down, voice sharp. “What’s your win condition? Otherwise you’re just a bitter, mean--”

“Apologize.” Gem cut them off. How dare Cleo lecture her on forgiveness. “If she actually talked to me about it, genuinely apologized, I’d consider it.”

Cleo scowled. Yet, the tension leaked out of them. It wasn’t like they could apologize on Pearl’s behalf. The violence in the air, charged with electricity, died without the words to sustain it.

Reluctantly, Gem stood, pulling her axe out and half-heartedly resuming her work. Now, the silence was agonizing. A pang of guilt went through Gem. But Cleo had brought it up first.

(But Gem had hurt Pearl first.)

“I’m sorry.” Cleo breathed, picking up her tools. Resigned.

Gem closed her eyes. “She needs to know that she hurt me too.”

“I think she knows that much by now.” Cleo murmured.

A few more chunks of wood split off the log. A few more strips of bark hit the ground. And a few more pained heartbeats, struggling on in anger. Though it was hard to be angry forever.

“But you G’s are stubborn.” Gem smirked. “So that’ll never happen.”

“Scott and Pearl haven't forgiven each other for Double Life yet.” Cleo conceded.

“And you?” Gem asked. “Have you forgiven them?”

They held eye contact. Cleo broke it first, leaning back again, staring at the dirt.

“Scott’s never intended to hurt me. So, if there’s anything to apologize for on his end, it’s been made up for by his help.”

“And Pearl?”

Cleo sighed. “She never wanted to hurt me. At least, she wanted to hurt someone else through me.”

Gem snorted. “What you had in Limited seemed pretty personal.” Gem was only there for a day, not even as herself, and yet the anxiety lingered.

Cleo met her eyes again. “Do any of us want to hurt each other?”

That lingered. As did you. As did the glowing eyes in the skies, matching the stone statue she died under.

“No. But we do anyway.” Gem wrenched her axe out of the remains of the log, resting it over her shoulder. “The least we can do is be honest about it.”

Cleo held her gaze, a quiet challenge. Are you really being honest about this? Gem wrinkled her nose. It wasn’t their business. Finally, Cleo bowed their head, letting out a truly exhausted sigh.

“I don’t know why Scott thinks we can fix things. You and Pearl are so stubborn.”

Gem smirked. “It keeps us alive, doesn’t it?”

“Not at this rate.” Cleo stood. They started walking back towards their base. “I hope I’m not there when you’re Red.”

“That can be arranged.” Sharply, she chopped her axe down, wedging it into a nearby stump.

Cleo laughed, a true cackle, and Gem couldn’t help but smile. The clearing finally felt the right speed.

Right as Cleo passed Gem, they clasped a hand on her shoulder.

“I forgave BigB, once, for killing me. Pearl can forgive you too. Give her the option to try.”

With that, Cleo vanished into the brush, trusting Gem alone so close to their base. Gem stared after them for a while. And then she picked up her axe, and headed home.

[xiiithhazard]

Echoes of the Unseen Children – Chapter 20

First Chapter

Prev. Chapter

...

Chapter 20:

Sonic slowly became aware of the sensation of cold metal pressing against his cheek. His body ached as he opened his eyes to find himself in a small, dimly lit cage, the bars around him confining and unyielding. He tried to move, only to feel the lingering effects of the drug still dulling his senses and sapping his strength.

As his vision cleared, he glanced around the room and noticed several other cages, each containing a person. A Chaos User, like himself. All of which were just as young, if not younger than Sonic himself. Some appeared to be unconscious, while others sat in silent resignation. But they were all covered in grim and filth, their eyes reflecting a mixture of despair and hopelessness.

Sonic’s heart sank at the sight, wondering how long some of them had been there. But he forced himself to focus. He couldn't allow himself to give in. He had to find a way out, not just for himself, but for everyone else trapped there.

His first order of business was the bars, so he tested their sturdiness despite his waning strength. But the cold metal was unforgiving under his touch, and he knew brute force wouldn't be the answer. He needed a plan instead.

That was when he remembered what he’d been doing before the wolves had shown up and he quickly searched the room for Knuckles or Tails. Before turning to the person in the cage next to his.

“Hey.” He whispered, trying not to be too unfriendly. Heaven knew those poor kids had been through enough already. “Have you seen an Echidna? Big red guy, long quills?”

The young chameleon just kind of stared back at him for a moment, before shaking his head and returning to his sulking. But it was an answer. And he got the feeling they would have remembered seeing someone like his brother. So was either Knuckles was in a different location, or he was still free.

That was encouraging. Though, he wasn’t sure what good it would do him. Even Sonic didn’t know where he was. But maybe he could rally them up an army, in the meantime.

Taking a deep breath, he coughed loud and obnoxiously enough to get everyone’s attention. “Hey, listen up.” He said, keeping his voice down, to avoid drawing unwanted attention. “I know things look bad, but if we work together, we stand a chance. Chaos powers or not, we can still fight back. We have power in numbers.”

Sonic looked around, hoping to see a spark of hope ignite in the eyes of his fellow captives. But instead, he was met with blank stares and downcast eyes, the room remaining heavy with an atmosphere of resignation.

Okay, maybe it wasn’t the most rousing speech in history, but that was still a rather bleak outcome. Guess they needed some inspiration.

Screwing his face up in a defining scowl, he tried the bars again. Despite knowing he simply didn’t have the kind of strength needed to break through. He forced himself to put everything he had into making at least a small opening.

That was when his body promptly reminded him that he’d taken a rather hard tumble, trying to escape his captors. He was suddenly struggling to breathe, as the pain screamed past the dulling barrier the drugs had afforded him, and he was pretty certain that he’d broken at least one rib.

But, looking back at the people that needed him to be strong, he forced himself not to emit even so much as a peep to indicate his agony. However, keeping that in check would not be possible if he kept going with his misguided plan. So, he let go of the bars and looked around, trying to find another option.

The lock ended up being just as unhelpful, as he couldn’t even find the damn thing. The top and bottom were made of nearly an entire three inches of solid metal, so that wasn’t going anywhere. He was honestly starting to wonder if there was a way out, when he noticed something on the floor.

Inching over to get a better look. Being careful not to shift his body too much. He found several tiny holes burned directly into the metal. For a moment, he thought it was just a feature, until he looked and noted that none of the other cages had it. But, running his hand over the oddity, his glove came away with ash stains, meaning this damage had been caused recently. Looking again, he found his hand drifting to his quills and realized that the holes matched.

Sitting up straight in shock, it took him a second to understand what that meant. But he eventually felt a smile form on his face. Before he carefully got up, positioning himself into a runner’s stance, as he focused on the bars directly in front of him.

Then, with a snap of power, he activated his Chaos energy, and the room exploded in blue. People in the other cages started to notice, as he pushed it further and further. Causing life to return to their eyes, seemingly captivated by his light.

With one final breath, he resigned himself to the pain he would be putting himself through and instinctively fell into a ball. Braced on all sides by his own electrified power, he was able to get his spin up to an insane speed, until he started feeling the metal around him tearing apart like it was made of tissue paper. And, when there was finally nothing else holding him back, something caught and he suddenly rocketed across the room, as if shot from a cannon.

The resounding shockwave knocked out the lights and anything else in the room that used technology. Including the locks, on each of the cages. While that hadn’t been his intention, it was a nice bonus. However, his victory didn’t stop his forward momentum.

With a yelp, he managed to uncurl himself and made a good solid attempt to stop himself. But it didn’t really work, and just he ended up sprawled against the far wall of the room, looking like a complete idiot and not exactly the hero, the other captives needed.

“Ow.” He allowed, as he opened his eyes and found that he was completely upside down. A position his ribs did not approve of at all. But he was quick to push himself over and get up again. Despite his brain doing somersaults in his skull.

“What the hell was that?” A voice yelled from somewhere else in the building and he tensed. Quickly looking around at all the other captives, who were starting to push open their cage doors. But, with a plan, Sonic quickly motioned for them to return to their prisons and held a finger to his lips.

They all nodded and did as they were told. Allowing him to run for a dark corner near the room’s only exit. Where he waited for their captors to make their appearance. It didn’t take long. The wolves basically bulldozed their way through the unfortunate door, weapons out and guns ready.

They didn’t even see him coming.

With power already surging through his veins, the speeds he was able to reach, despite the tiny space, was unfathomable. To the point that his enemy was basically standing still as he took their keys and relieved them of their weapons. Before making his way around the room. Opening doors and relocating captives out into the hall, while also repositioning the wolves into the cages instead.

By the time his power was running dry, he was more than satisfied with his work. And willingly let go of the strange hold he had on time itself. Causing everything to kind of snap into place, as people displayed various levels of shock at their new positions.

“Everyone alright?” He asked his fellow captives with a smile and received a few ‘ahs’ and ‘ums’. “Good.” He announced, looking back at the now unconscious wolves, who being adults, were squished up pretty tight into their new living spaces.

‘Yeah, let’s see how you like it.’ He thought at then with a huff but otherwise gave them no further consideration. As he slammed the door on them and locked it. Then he accidentally lost the keys somewhere, before turning back to the group of Chaos Users.

“Well, I think that’s our cue. Let’s get out of here.” He commanded and made for the door. Only to look back and find that every single one of them was right behind him. Their eyes full of light and life and willing to follow him anywhere.

…

“He did what?” Amy seethed, though she quickly collected herself and took a break, considering the person she was speaking to was only a small child. After taking another moment to run through a few breathing exercises, she knelt down to the little girl and ruffled her quills a bit. “Thank you for telling me, May. Now it’s getting late, I’m sure Vanilla needs everyone in bed soon.”

“Okay.” The child murmured, clearly a little saddened that she couldn’t continue to wait up for Shadow and Rouge, but like many of the other children, she seemed to have grown up a little too quickly and knew very well that their caretaker needed all the help they could manage to give her.

Looking around, Amy found several of the younger children still wondering around the farm and realized that no one was around to collect them. Other than Vanilla herself, it appeared that Shadow and Rouge were the oldest among them. Which meant that a lot of these tasks would have likely fallen to one of them instead.

However, she found herself looking back at the gate, knowing that those two were now with Sonic, trying to find their other family members. The fact that they had left so quickly that they hadn’t even closed the gate behind them or told her what was happening, worried the pink hedgehog. Yet, she was still standing there.

She didn’t know where they’d gone, what had happened or, more importantly, what the situation was. What had been so serious that Sonic had just bolted without even coming to get her? As much as she wanted to help, if she didn’t know anything she could end up just making things worse.

“Amy.” She perked up and looked around when Vanilla strolled up to her, having come out to herd the rest of the children into the house. “Are you alright dear?”

“Yes.” Amy said on autopilot, only to look at the ground, feeling bad for lying. “No – I don’t know.” She finally just admitted, and the rabbit smiled at her, before gently laying her arm around her shoulders, allowing her long shawl to cover them both. And Amy found herself leaning into the embrace, despite not knowing why.

Maybe it was just that familiar warmth that it seemed all mothers possessed. Something she had been trying so hard to hide just how much she missed.

“You want to help, but don’t know how.” Vanilla declared as if she were merely reading a book. “You know.” She began again softly, her voice like a gentle lull. “Sometimes the best way to help is simply to be there, to offer support rather than solutions. It’s okay to feel uncertain. To lean on others and trust that they will find their way.”

Feeling the truth of those words sink in, Amy sighed, remembering that she’d basically told Sonic the same thing. To trust that their friend could handle it. She had said that to calm him down, to help him through the panic. But now that she thought about it, she wasn’t certain if she’d been right.

Knuckles was capable, but they had already faced a number of situations that they hadn’t been able to face alone. They had needed help.

“I –” She began and took a breath, looking back at the gate, hoping to find her family returning. They didn’t. “Those two were together long before I came into the picture.” She admitted softly, watching the ground as all the little nightly insects scurried about. Undergoing their own tasks, knowing exactly where they were needed. And even if it wasn’t as impressive a task as another’s, they still did it, knowing that their job was just as important to the wellbeing of their colony. “They survived so much without me.” She whispered to them, reaching up to hug herself. “I guess – I just don’t know where I fit.”

“That can be distressing.” Vanilla agreed, her smile never wavering, as she knelt down to be at Amy’s level. “But I’ll let you in on a little secret. No one knows where they fit.” Amy found herself blinking at the earth, as that was said. Feeling as if Vanilla herself seemed to disprove that statement. But the rabbit saw right through this as well. “Sometimes, we find places that we occupy for short periods of time. Nut it’s not because that place was made for us to fit into it.” She continued gently. “It’s because we molded it to fit us.”

Amy just opened her mouth, but was unable to speak, as those words struck a cord, and seemed to fill a void she hadn’t realized had been there. Eventually, Vanilla’s soft hand brushed her cheek and lifted her eyes from the ground, to meet hers.

“It’s okay to feel lost. It’s okay to not know.” She whispered gently. “All we can really do, is the best that we can.”

The hedgehog felt a little tear on her cheek, as she slowly smiled and nodded. It wasn’t an answer to her dilemma, but it didn’t have to be. It was enough to push her forward again and figure it out for herself.

“Thank you.” Amy spoke softly and smiled at the woman, before turning back toward the children still wondering the gardens. It might not have been where she wanted to be, at that moment, but it was where she was needed the most.

And, as if fate itself had agreed, her task was almost immediately interrupted, when Vanilla let out a pained little sound, when the pregnant rabbit struggling tried to stand up again.

“Here. Let me help.” Amy insisted, taking her arm, but before they could even start the process, the woman let out a gasp and cling to Amy’s arm as if suddenly in shock. But she recovered quickly and looked at the ground, which brought Amy’s attention to a new detail. “Oh.” The hedgehog proclaimed, as the two of them met each other’s eyes and Vanilla smiled nervously.

“Well – it would appear that my baby agrees.”

…

I’m not even going to pretend to unpack the baggage of Vanilla’s Husband/Cream’s Father. That’s just gonna stay a mystery. As far as I’m concerned, after this point, Cream was delivered by Storks.