#Day 1: Hurt/Comfort

[clonedchaos]

👟 𝓡𝓲𝓹𝓹𝓵𝓮 𝓔𝓯𝓯𝓮𝓬𝓽 🌸

Orchids and Oranges: A Yasammy Week Special

Yippee! It's Yasammy Week, brought to you by @yasammyweek! Pardon the late kickoff, had to attend my sister's bridal shower today as well as writing this 2,000 word one shot in one day. I know most ppl here are doing art, but I can't draw, so fanfic it is! Enjoy! <3

Day 1: Hurt/Comfort

Rating: G/PG

Summary: Yaz thought she had left the dinosaurs behind. She thought it was time for her to finally heal… until she came face to face with one on the mainland.

AO3 Version:

Tumblr Version:

Yaz wrapped her arms tighter around Sammy’s waist as she gradually got used to the fluid movement of the stallion below them. The saddle wasn’t the most comfortable or practical of inventions, but Sammy had insisted it was far better than riding bare back.

Yaz let her gaze wander as a smile crossed her lips and her heart gave a little flutter. The maple trees surrounding them were colored in vibrant shades of orange, red, and brown. Despite fall coming to a close, Texas was still as humid as ever. It was the polar opposite of her home upstate— the moment it hit October, the temperature would plummet. 

Yaz had gotten used to the frigid air over the years thanks to her daily morning runs. She would be quite out of her element down here if it weren’t for the months she spent stuck on a tropical island. She’d take the Texas heat over Nublar’s every single time.

And, of course, she loved Texas because of Sammy. Her parents had been the textbook definition of southern hospitality ever since Yaz came down to spend the week with them. Sammy had been a hurricane of energy and enthusiasm ever since her arrival. She talked a mile a minute at any possible opportunity and paraded Yaz around to see every nook and cranny of their land. It had been fun; she knew Sammy had been waiting a long time to introduce her officially to her family-- cattle included.

A pleasant breeze brushed past them, Sammy’s hair tickling Yaz’s nose. Yaz sneezed, the sheer power of the act nearly sending her reeling backwards.

”Bless you!” Sammy immediately chimed in, looking over her shoulder. Her hands held the reins in a loose grip as the stallion came to a stop. His ears and tail twitched. Yaz’s behavior had irked him.

“Sorry about that, bud,” She apologized, patting the horse on the flank. A whistle and nudge from Sammy ushered the stallion forward again. 

The cowgirl kept her eyes on her girlfriend. Yaz felt that wasn’t the appropriate course of action given she was the one guiding the horse down the path. It seemed almost as dangerous as taking your eyes off the road while driving.

”The trees are mighty beautiful, aren’t they?” Sammy cooed with a grin. She reached forward and plucked a leaf out of Yaz’s hair. How long had that been in there?

”It is beautiful, Sammy,” Yaz admitted. Truly, the scenery was gorgeous. The Gutierrez’s land was pure nature’s bliss, all 700 acres of it. She liked to call it “The Eight Wonder of the World.”

Sammy glanced up towards the sky, its colors glowing with muted hues of pink, blue, and purple. “It’s gettin’ late. Perhaps we should head back to the stable.” Her gaze darted to and fro before she leaned forward and whispered, “Ol Kota’s eyesight isn’t as great as it once was.”

Kota nickered in response. Yaz snorted. “I think he heard you.”

"Oh, that wasn't an insult, boy!" Sammy quickly corrected sheepishly, getting a chuckle out of Yaz. Sammy's baby talk toward her critters wasn't at all meant to be taken seriously, but Yaz couldn't help but think it was adorable. 

“I suppose you’re right. Hey, think I could beat Kota in a race?” Yaz asked with a clear undertone of a challenge. If he galloped at full speed, she knew he would be able to overtake her effortlessly. But at his old age, she might just have a chance if he were to trot.

Sammy’s eyes shone as she turned her attention back onto Yaz. “Oh, that’s a gre—“

Kota saw the Triceratops first. The elder stallion reared up onto his back legs. Yaz lost her grip on Sammy and hit the ground hard. The breath drew out of her lungs, leaving her momentarily stunned at the blunt impact. Surely that was going to leave a sizable bruise on her tailbone.

”Woah, boy! Easy… Easy!” Sammy yelped as she tightened the reins and fought for control. Yaz instinctively rolled to the side to avoid getting trampled on by hooves, just barely scraping by with nothing more than a dust cloud in her face.

With her chest heaving in gulps of air, Yaz finally lifted her gaze toward the instigator. A bulky Triceratops stood before them in the path, its head lowered and grazing on the sparse patches of grass that sprung up from the dirt trail. At the stallion’s cry of fear, the herbivore lifted its head. Its horns glinted off the dying sunlight’s rays, the tips sharpened points that could skewer her should the animal desire.

Yaz didn’t know why, but she screamed. She screamed a blood curdling cry that sent the nearby birds scattering. Her hands tore up clumps of dirt as she balled them into a fist. Her heart pounded, she could hear it in her ears and feel the blood coursing through her veins. It was getting hard to breathe. Why could she not breathe? Why couldn't she think? Why was her vision spinning? Was it a concussion, or was she losing it?

The Triceratops bellowed and raked its front leg on the ground. Despite being in fear’s clutches, Yaz subconsciously knew it was about to charge. Suddenly the aspect of getting trampled by a horse seemed far more appealing.

The Triceratops stomped forward, waving its horns threateningly. Yaz couldn’t move. She wanted to pull herself off the ground and bolt toward the nearest tree. She wanted to be safe, to be inside, to be far away from this prehistoric beast. But her body was rooted to the floor, tied down by unseen vines. Despite the adrenaline pulsing through her veins and the chilling numbness of her hands, she could only watch powerlessly as she sat directly in the line of fire.

“Yaz!” Sammy was suddenly right by her side on horseback. Quite literally her knight in shining armor. She extended a hand down to her. Yaz felt a sharp pierce plunge through her heart at the palpable fear she found lying behind Sammy's eyes. “Come on!”

Yaz still felt frozen by invisible roots. She wanted to reach for Sammy. She wanted them to huddle under the blanket fort Sammy had insisted they build in her room last night. Her and Sammy had been at checkers for nearly two hours before Sammy’s mother had called them down for dinner. She wanted to wake up in the morning and breathe in the aroma of fresh, fluffy cinnamon rolls and salted, crisp bacon. Would she ever partake in these memories again? Or would they be snuffed out, much like her life might very well be. If only she could just…

MOVE!

With one hand wrapped around the stirrup, Sammy leaned down and grabbed Yaz by the arm. Yaz knew her girlfriend was strong, like really really strong. Calling her "country strong" wasn't just a cute pet name, it was a fact.

Sammy's rapid maneuver was enough to nudge Yaz up and back into the saddle. With a quick snap of the reins and click of her heels, Sammy ushered Kota forward. The trike missed them by a hair, nearly getting clocked on the muzzle by the stallion's hooves.

Yaz had her arms wrapped around Sammy in a death grip, her face buried against her wool jacket. It felt like she was holding her breath for every second until they had made it safely to the barn. Her chest was tight and sweat rolled down the side of her head. She could barely feel her fingers besides the buzzing, staticky feeling she noticed there.

"Yaz?" 

She looked up with rounded eyes. Sammy released the reins and kicked her leg up and over as she dismounted. Immediately, she turned and extended a hand toward Yaz in a gesture of assistance. "Are you okay?"

No. No she wasn't. With a shaky breath and trembling hand, she reached out. Sammy's hands were worn with numerous callouses; no doubt a result from her long days of working hard on the ranch. Her fingers intertwined with Yaz's. At the touch, the dam holding back her tears finally broke. Yaz sank to her knees and began to sob.

Sammy was right there, kneeling down and pulling her into an embrace. "It's okay, Yaz. I'm here," She cooed, gently rubbing her back in a circular motion. 

Yaz nestled closer to her, hoping Sammy's very presence would be enough to chase away her inner demons. "I... I thought... I thought we'd be done with dinosaurs," She admitted weakly. She hated feeling like this. Vulnerable. It was like she was a little kid all over again; someone who needed to be coddled and comforted by her mother.

"I know..." Sammy replied sympathetically as she rested her head against Yaz's. "I wasn't expecting to see a trike so close to home."

It was getting a little easier to breathe now. Just a little. "Why? Why is it here?" She choked out, closing her eyes.

Sammy grew silent. Yaz didn't expect her to answer that rhetorical question. After all, how in the world would she know what a dinosaur was doing hundreds of miles from Nublar?

Rather, Sammy began to hum. Her tone lilted in a melancholic sway. Yaz seemed momentarily taken aback as her heartbeat began to steady and her limbs slackened. With every rise and fall in tempo, Yaz begun to notice an unmistakable pattern in the rhythm.

Yaz leaned back and cupped Sammy's cheek in her hand. Her eyes still stung, and she knew she probably looked like a bedraggled mess. Right now, that didn't matter. "How do you know that song?"

Sammy leaned into Yaz's touch. "Your mother taught it to me. She knows you've been having a tough time since the island..." She trailed off and averted her gaze.

Yaz relaxed her features and silently urged Sammy to continue. "She told me it used to help you when you were little... and I thought it might help in this situation," She murmured sheepishly and rubbed her arm in embarrassment with flushed cheeks.

Yaz cracked a gentle smile at that and swiftly planted a kiss atop her forehead. "It did help. I'm sorry. For freezing like that..."

"Hey, none of that," Sammy lectured sternly with a good-natured smile. She held both of Yaz's hands in her own. "Just because we're off the island, it doesn't mean those feelings just up and disappeared. But I know you, Yaz. You're the bravest, most stubborn fighter I know. We just need to take baby steps again."

Baby steps. Right. It was like running a marathon; you don't go full sprint right off the bat. You pace yourself until you're further along with the finish line in sight.

"It just... surprised me is all," Yaz continued. The fireflies casted a gentle, infrequent glow across the purple and blue painted sky. "I thought I would be over this. But what if...? What if there are more dinosaurs?" Particularly the ones that would have them for a midnight snack.

"I don't know," Sammy admitted, returning the kiss on Yaz's forehead. "But what I do know is that I'm here if you ever need me. We conquered Nublar together. And if dinosaurs are on the mainland now, we'll conquer that together too. You're stronger than your fears."

Yaz smiled and pulled Sammy close. There was one constant in her life when it came to dinosaurs: Sammy. When her PTSD got the better of her on Manta Corp's island, she was there to help ease her nerves and shift her attention toward other matters. Even if they were states apart, she knew Sammy would just be a phone call away. And that was enough.

"I'll always be here for you, mi rosa. For now, and forever."

[ibahibut]

💀: Fewer wounds, more kisses from me.

🐦‍⬛: Contract's accepted, mi amor.

Music inspiration: A Little Death by The Neighbourhood

[ducktracy]

there are a lot of evil people in the world and a lot of darkness in the world and so it’s very important for me to stress that now more than ever is the time to spread kindness and compassion. combat the evil by not only not partaking in it, but actively refuting it. destroy the notion that being compassionate or generous or kind to someone is uncool or embarrassing or even scary. be the change you want to see. start a chain reaction. positivity only breeds more positivity. do an act of kindness for someone so that that person who is too afraid to do it themselves can see you, realize that they’re not alone, and perhaps sheepishly follow your example. and then the next person who is too afraid but sees that person can do the same. when bad news comes out about bad people or horrible atrocities in the world it’s such an easy impulse to despair, and obviously it’s important to feel what you need to feel. grieve. be angry. be sorrowful. be empathetic. but dust off your pants and get up and be a part of a chain reaction that, no matter how small the scale, and spread compassion and love and care. all the reasons why you might not—“it’s hard! it’s scary! people will make fun of me! it’s useless because there’s too much evil!” are all grade A arguments as to why you should. you have no idea how many people you could inspire to do the same. even if it doesn’t get you anyway far, you can at least say you have the nobility of trying. please choose love and please choose life. you are worth loving and you are worth inspiring others to love

[cricket-reader]

Picking Up the Pieces

Masterlist | A03 | Wattpad | Recommendations | Inbox | Taglist

summary: Bucky’s girlfriend was on a business trip to New York when the void enveloped the city. Memories hidden deep in her mind surface, and Bucky is left to pick up the pieces.

warnings: alcohol, referenced past non-con, bathing, female reader (she/her pronouns)

word count: 2,366

A/N: prompt fill for day 1 for @juneofdoom | Slurred Speech | Darkness

{Read on A03}

“Doll?”

The pet name her boyfriend always used went in one ear and out the other, nothing registering in her brain besides the bombshell her mind had dropped on her just hours prior. She didn’t know how long she had been curled up like this, but from the stiffness in every joint in her body, she’d have to venture to say that it was way too long.

When Bucky walked into the adjoining bedroom, he was immediately overwhelmed by the smell of alcohol. The entire room reeked of expensive booze. And in the corner, curled up so small, was his girlfriend. A bottle of whiskey hung between her fingers, on the precipice of slipping right out of her loose grasp. It was half empty.

The sight sent his mind spinning. His girlfriend was not much of a drinker—and most certainly not a whiskey drinker. The only time he’d ever seen her drink was when she’d have those fruity little drinks at the bar or a glass of champagne at those stupid events he dragged her to. And even then, she drank it so slowly, she’d never feel the effects.

Something swirled in his gut, a premonition that nothing would ever be the same after this.

He approached his girlfriend slowly, the heavy footfalls of his boots echoing through the silence. Crouching down beside her, he was careful not to intrude on her space—not when something was clearly wrong. It was just as she had done for him many times before. But he never wanted her to be on the opposite side of this.

“Doll?” Bucky repeated himself. He reached out a careful hand, slow to give her enough time to pull away. It was only when skin met skin that she flinched away, eyes blown wide.

“Bucky?” She murmured, eyes glazing over. “When’d you get here?”

Furrowing his brows, Bucky swiped a thumb over her cheek. “You didn’t hear me come in? I called out for ya.”

She hummed low in her throat in response, eyes drifting to the right. Her head followed, listing to the side dramatically. He gasped when he saw the glimmer of blood across her temple, shining in the low light from one of the bedside lamps. “What happened?” He wiped a hand through the blood dripping sluggishly from her forehead down her face. His stomach swirled as the crimson liquid stained his hands like something out of his worst nightmare.

“The darkness… it w’s ev’rywhere,” she slurred over her words. Tears burned in her eyes as she stuttered over her next words. “I di’nt know… I di’nt think… he… oh god, Bucky.”

He blinked as she rushed into his arms, dropping the open bottle of whiskey for it to spill onto the plush carpet. He held her steady even as she shook with sobs. He ran his fingers through her messy curls, heart shattering with every whimper, every cry, every murmured apology that pierced his ears. When her sobs subsided into sniffles, he carefully pulled back. Taking her tear-streaked face into his hands, he frowned. “What did you see?”

She clenched her eyes shut, whimpering as the memories overloaded her brain. It couldn't be real, she told herself. She would’ve remembered something like that. “It wasn’t real, it wasn’t real,” she murmured, shaking her head as if that could clear the darkness creeping in, a void of shame and hopelessness she’d never felt before.

A pit settled in Bucky’s stomach. “Doll, what was it?”

“Oh���” she groaned, “I feel… Bucky, I feel sick.”

Bucky lifted her into his arms with ease, murmuring, “C’mon, sweetheart, let’s get ya to the bathroom.”

He held her hair back as she expelled nothing but clear liquid poison, murmuring reassurances after every heave. “That’s it, honey. Get it all out, alright? You’re okay. It’s all gonna be okay. I’ve got you.”

She slumped backwards into Bucky’s warmth, sobbing violently. Curling up on herself, she twisted around to hide her face in her boyfriend’s chest. “I’m so sorry,” she cried, holding on so tight—afraid that he’d leave her now that she’d completely lost it in front of him. “Stay ‘ere, please?”

“Don’t be sorry, and I’m not goin’ anywhere.” Bucky’s response was firm, his hands weaving through her messy hair. Terrifying as it was to see his girlfriend like this, he knew that she’d seen him much lower. She’d helped him pick up the pieces after every nightmare, after every flashback, after every violent outburst. Never once had she left him despite giving her a plethora of reasons to do so. And he’d be damned if he wouldn’t do the same for her. She deserved it so much more than he did, after all.

“I’m disgusting,” she said after a long period of silence, face still buried in Bucky’s shirt.

Bucky furrows his brows. He tried to get her to look at him, but she remained steadfastly attached to him. “Don’t say that, doll. You just drank too much. Your body was trying to get rid of it.”

“Not that,” she whispered, tightening her grasp around his shirt. He looked down at her white-knuckled grasp, noting the slight tremor that never quite left her body since she came back down to earth. It made him sick with worry.

“Then what? Because I know for a fact that you are the furthest thing from disgusting. You are the most-”

“You won’ be sayin’ that after I tell you…” she interrupted him, voice fading out suddenly.

“After you tell me what?” Bucky questioned, voice firm. He didn’t want to leave any room for argument. Nothing would ever make him think less of his girlfriend. The woman who single-handedly drew him closer and closer to the light. The woman who never failed to bring a smile to his face. The woman who stood by him regardless of how difficult it could be. “‘Cause there’s nothing in the world that could make me think of you like that.”

She bit down a whimper, not low enough so that Bucky couldn’t hear it, although not for a lack of trying on her part. He felt her shake her head against his chest. Something akin to desperation rose inside of him. He didn't know how to make her understand, didn't know how to pull her into the light when he was made of nothing but shadows and darkness. He couldn't be her sunshine on a stormy day, not like she could for him. He was right all along; she deserved someone better, someone who could bring her out of the darkness. Someone who wasn’t blood-stained and cold, someone who was dripping with the warmth needed to mend a broken heart.

“My father… he raped me,” she said, releasing the words like a bomb into the air.

Bucky’s heart stopped cold. His hands froze in her hair, messy locks entwined around his fingers. The words tumbled around in his brain, knowing, but not fully registering the full weight of her words. As soon as they settled, a boiling anger rose in him, explosive and all-consuming. He silently seethed, wanting nothing more than to find the piece of shit and rip him to shreds. His girlfriend was the definition of sunshine, the most pure and holy figure he’d ever met. How dare her own flesh and blood father try to take that from her? How could anyone ever try to pull her into the darkness?

He heard her breath hitch in response to his silent stillness. She tried to pull away, fearing that Bucky was as repulsed by her as she was herself, but he held her steady. “I am disgusted,” he said, “I’m disgusted by that piece of shit who never deserved to have a daughter.”

“I didn’t even fight back, Bucky,” she cried, wanting to make him understand.

“And how old were you?”

Her brows creased at the random question. “What? Uh… I don’t know… maybe like ten or eleven.”

Bucky pulled away from her to look her in the eyes, needing her to understand him. “Sweetheart, how is a ten-year-old girl supposed to overpower a grown man? He was the adult. He knew better. He should have never even looked your way.”

“I know, but I just… Why didn’t I remember that before now? What even happened? Why was everything so dark?” Her eyes grew as wide as saucers, her brain finally catching up to the implications of Bucky being there too. “Oh god, did the darkness get you too? Oh, Bucky, are you okay?”

Of course, she would be worried about him. Even after her darkest hours, she still made Bucky’s well-being a priority. “I’m fine-”

“Don’t you dare say that you’re fine, James Buchanan Barnes. God, here I am being a complete clusterfuck when you went through so much worse. God, Bucky, I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have had to take care of me-”

Bucky interrupted that thought straight away. “Don’t ever apologise for needing to be taken care of.”

“But-”

“No buts,” he insisted. “You uncovered something really traumatic. It’s okay to not always be okay. I’ll always be here to pick up the pieces.”

She huffed out a choked-up sigh. “That’s my line.”

“Yeah, well, I’m adopting it.” He sighed, looking down at the tear-streaked, puffy face of the woman he would take down the world for.

“I feel so… so dirty,” she murmured, lowering her head in shame. “I feel used and… and violated. How could he… how could he just…” She choked on a sob, not able to complete the sentence, not able to put to words once again the horrifying reality that had violently blindsided her.

“I don’t know, doll,” Bucky murmured.

“I wanna take a shower,” she mumbled, rubbing her eyes and yawning. “Feel gross.”

“Okay, doll, just… is it alright if I stay? I don’t want you to slip and fall. I won’t look or anything—just don’t wanna leave you alone right now.”

“It’s not like you haven’t already seen me, Buck.”

Bucky rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding her inquisitive eyes. “Just don’t wanna make you uncomfortable, sweetheart.”

She hummed, a smile spreading across her face. “You’re the sweetest man in the whole entire world,” she said, leaning in and laying her head on his chest. Bucky flushed at her words; no matter how many times she'd said things like that to him, it always sets loose a horde of butterflies fluttering inside him.

“I’m just doing what anyone else would in this situation,” Bucky said, always quick to deny her praises. Because although they made him feel like he was walking on cloud nine, sometimes it worried him how low her standards were. She giggled at him, the alcohol clearly not having left her system. She mumbled something under her breath, too quiet and jumbled together for even his ears to pick up.

“Lemme start up the water,” he said, sitting her down on the toilet lid. He waited until the water was at the right temperature before turning around. She already had her top off and was struggling to unclasp the lacy bra from behind her. “Need a little help there, doll?”

She nodded her head and allowed him to gently unclasp the undergarment. She quickly rid herself of her leggings and underwear before stumbling over to the shower. Bucky’s heart raced as he heard her stumble to the shower, avoiding looking in case it did bring her discomfort—she never did explicitly state that it was okay for him to look.

He leaned against the wall, listening to her lather her body in soap. His attentive ears heard her breath hitch ever so slightly, the movements ceasing suddenly. He pushed himself off the wall, brows furrowed deeply. “Doll?”

His heart cracked upon hearing her break down. He watched the shadow of her figure slump down to her knees, the sharp sound of bone meeting the hard tub. “Bucky?” she whimpered, opening the curtain. Her hair was drenched, clinging to her face. Tears mixed with the water pouring down on her. He approached with caution akin to that of a man approaching a wounded animal. She reached out for him, her hand leaving suds and water to soak into his leather jacket. He didn't hesitate, then, climbing into the bathtub with her, holding her as she devolved into sobs. As they faded into hiccups, he asked her: “You wanna get dried off?”

“No,” she said, “Gotta get clean, gotta… gotta get clean.”

“Okay, baby,” he said, his voice calm and reassuring. “Let me help you?”

“Y’don’t have to,” she murmured into drenched leather. It was a weak protest, one that Bucky knew full-heartedly that she didn’t really mean. She always did this, always tried to give him an out whenever he tried to help her.

“I want to,” he reassured her. Grabbing the cloth from where it had hit the ground, he lathered it up with more soap. He was gentle as he wiped it across her clean skin, never lingering too long. When he’d finished, he grabbed the shampoo from the shelf, lathering up her hair and massaging it into her scalp. He rinsed it out with praises intermingled as she droopily tilted her head back. He reached for the conditioner next, plopping a dollop onto his hand to work into the ends of her hair.

By the time he was done, she was lax in his arms, like putty in his hands. He turned off the water and wrapped her shivering body in a large, fluffy towel. Once her body was dry, he dressed her in her favourite fluffy pyjama pants and an oversized t-shirt he was pretty sure once belonged to him.

He tucked her into bed, quickly changing into some dry clothes from his go bag before slipping out to grab a glass of water and a bottle of aspirin for the morning. Finally, he slid in beside her, revelling in the way she immediately drifted to his side in her sleep. As he held her in his arms, he made a vow that no one would ever hurt her again, and anyone who does, or ever has, will suffer the consequences.

Taglist: @harleycao @hallecarey1 @filmsbyblair

[avocado62524]

[silverthelovebug]

Yasammy Week ~ Day 1: Hurt/Comfort

No matter how bad the nightmare, Sammy would always be there to work her through it. Yaz didn’t like talking about them. Sammy knew they had only gotten worse after Brooklyn’s death. As long as she held her through the night, and whispered sweet nothings into her ear, maybe things would be okay.

@yasammyweek

I hate doing perspective pieces, if you see anything off no you don’t.

Also tiny little details !!! There’s the group photo of the Nublar Six, Sammy’s phone stickers, and a bottle of Klonopin. Yaz’s shirt also reads “Forget glass slippers, this princess wears track and field spikes” :3

[weevil-wallflower]

A Jedi & A Droid

Cal Kestis x Jedi!Reader

Summary: Your life was never the same after You stumbled upon another Jedi and a droid.

Warnings/Tags: No warnings, SFW, hurt/comfort, minor angst, fluff, mutual pining, no use of Y/N, no pronouns used, pre/during Jedi: Survivor, minor spoilers for Jedi: Survivor.

A.N.: My third entry for Cal Kestis Week 2024! Prompts: Day 3 - Droid & Day 4 - "We shouldn't be doing this".

I am so late but responsibilities called! Also, this story, initially meant to be simple, got wayyy out of hand and turned into a combination of little snippets. So a bit of a wordy one but I am so happy to finally write this, as the idea had been sitting in my drafts for so long plus I really enjoyed writing it! I think this is one of my best stories yet :3 Gif by me!

Also on AO3!

Word Count: ~6,800

After the crew of the Mantis had split apart, Cal found himself adrift in the galaxy with only BD-1 by his side, spending years drifting between missions and without a crew—a family. While working for Saw Gerrera, he had formed strong friendships with fellow rebels; Gabs, the Klatooinian twins Koob and Lizz, and Bravo. However, it never felt quite the same. He longed for the camaraderie and companionship he had once known, yearning for a friend, a family and perhaps even a partner, to share in their journey’s hardships and victories.

Then, one fateful day, while Cal and BD-1 were navigating through a crowded spaceport, they came across You—running desperately from a squad of unrelenting stormtroopers. Cal's sharp senses detected the hurry in your movements and the terror in your expression as You ran through the packed streets, desperately trying to evade capture.

Without hesitation, Cal leapt into action, his instincts kicking into overdrive as he made his way through the chaotic crowds, dodging blaster fire and weaving through narrow alleyways in pursuit of You. Out of breath, he finally caught up to You, halting You in your tracks and reached out a hand to offer his help.

“Come with us!” The redhead urged, his voice firm yet reassuring as he glanced back at the approaching stormtroopers. “We have a ship. We can help you escape.”

Despite the opportunity presented before You, You hesitated, your eyes wide with fear and uncertainty as You weight your options.

“I’m not getting in a stranger’s ship!” You protested, your voice trembling with apprehension.

Cal’s gaze softened, understanding the gravity of your situation as he met your gaze with unwavering determination.

“You have a better idea?” He asked, his tone gentle yet firm as he kept his hand extended towards You.

You still appeared hesitant but the thunderous footsteps of the approaching stormtroopers and the urgent “Beep-bo-beep!” from the droid perched on the redhead’s back sealed the deal, making You choose the lesser of two evils. With a slight nod, You reached out to take the redhead’s hand, feeling a sense of trust and reassurance wash over You like a wave. Was it the Force trying to tell You something? You had no time to dwell on it, however, as Cal led You to his ship.

As the three of you boarded the Mantis, Cal’s eyes widened with excitement when they fell on the lightsaber strapped to your side, realisation dawning on him.

“You’re a Jedi!” He exclaimed, surprise apparent in his voice. “That’s why those Imps were after you.”

The knowledge brought him some hope, knowing that he had finally found another Jedi besides Cere, after all these years.

You simply nodded and hesitantly took the offered co-pilot seat as the ship soared through the vast outer space. You were unable to shake the feeling of apprehension that gripped You. The knowledge that Cal now knew You were a Jedi filled You with a sense of unease, knowing all too well the dangers that come with being hunted throughout the Galaxy. The thought of bounty hunters and Imperial forces closing in on You sent a shiver down your spine, and You couldn’t help but wonder if trusting Cal was a mistake.

However, as You stole a glance at him while he piloted the ship, You noticed something that caught You off guard—a lightsaber attached to his belt, just like yours. Your eyes widened in surprise as You turned to face him, your voice barely above a whisper.

“Are you… are you also a Jedi?” You asked, your voice full of uncertainty.

Cal’s face lit up with a smile, his green eyes sparkling with excitement and happiness.

“Yes, I am!” He exclaimed, voice full of joy. “I can’t believe I’ve finally found another Jedi!”

“Me too…” You whispered as the revelation sent a wave of relief washing over You. And sure enough, You felt his Force signature resonate around You, feeling his resilience, determination and a strong connection to the Light Side of the Force. However, while the signature carried traces of sorrow and grief, You were surprised by how warm and comforting it felt, enveloping You like a protective blanket. You were unable to remember the last time You felt someone’s Force signature—much less one as soothing. The feeling replaced your earlier apprehension with a sense of solidarity and companionship, relieved to know that You were not alone.

However, it still took time for You to feel comfortable around Cal, despite his warm demeanor and infectious enthusiasm. But slowly over time, You found yourself gradually opening up to the redhead, sharing stories of your past and your hopes for the future. Yet, a lingering sense of caution remained, a barrier that felt insurmountable at times.

But BD-1, Cal’s loyal droid friend, proved to be a source of comfort and solace during those moments of uncertainty. Seeing how happy Cal was once more, all because of your presence on board, BD-1 went out of his way to make You feel welcome with his cheerful chirps and friendly demeanour, offering You small gifts and gestures of kindness that never failed to bring a smile to your face.

And as You watched the little droid trot around the ship, trilling with excitement, You couldn’t help but feel a sense of gratitude towards him. His efforts to make You feel comfortable and at ease did not go unnoticed, and You found yourself growing fond of BD-1 in return.

Cal, too, noticed the bond that was forming between the both of you, and he couldn’t help but smile at the sight of his droid friend bringing joy and laughter into your life like he did for him. Seeing You happy lifted Cal’s spirits in ways he couldn’t fully explain, and he found himself opening up to You even more, sharing his hopes and fears with a newfound sense of trust and vulnerability.

Overall, BD-1’s efforts to make You feel comfortable and welcome were essential in helping You overcome your initial apprehension and form strong bonds of friendship with Cal and the droid. There were numerous instances which contributed to strengthening your bond with both of them.

One day, Cal and BD-1 ventured out on a mission while You agreed to stay behind on the Mantis to look after it and to provide backup support if needed. But when the duo failed to return when they should have, a sense of worry began to settle deep in your mind. Especially when You were unable to contact them via the comms. Time appeared to stretch on endlessly as You waited for their return, each minute that passed only made your concern grow. Feeling restless, You paced the length of the ship, your footsteps echoing in the empty corridors as You anxiously awaited their safe return.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, just when You contemplated going out to search for them, You heard footsteps and beeping sounds. You quickly rushed down the ramp to be greeted by the sight of Cal, looking a little worse for wear but otherwise unharmed. Your worries melted away in an instant as You ran over to greet him.

“Cal, you’re back!” You exclaimed, relief evident in your voice.

The redhead grinned wearily, his expression softened by your sight. “Hey…” He greeted, his voice tinged with exhaustion. “Sorry for the delay. We ran into a bit of trouble out there.”

Before You could respond, BD-1 chirped excitedly, leaping down from Cal's back and presented You with a tiny gift he ejected from his stim dispenser. With a delighted giggle, You accepted the gift, a simple trinket made from scavenged materials—a token of BD-1's affection and friendship.

As You thanked the little droid for the thoughtful gesture, Cal couldn't help but chuckle at the scene unfolding before him.

"Well, it looks like BeeDee gets all the attention," he quipped, his tone light-hearted as he approached you. "No warm welcome for a valiant hero like me, huh?"

You grinned at his playful remark, thankful that despite the dangers they faced on their mission, Cal and BD-1 had returned safely, and that was all that mattered in the end.

As you all walked back inside the Mantis together, Cal's arm draped casually over your shoulder, You couldn't help but feel a sense of belonging wash over You. And when BD-1 chirped happily beside You, You knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, you would face them together as a team.

Another day, You remember sitting alone in the quiet solitude of your quarters at the back of the Mantis. With the weight of loneliness and longing pressing heavy on your heart, You couldn't help but feel the ache of missing your long-gone family and friends. Memories of happier times filled your mind, each recollection a bittersweet reminder of the bonds You had lost to the war of the Galaxy.

Meanwhile, out in the common area of the ship, Cal paced back and forth with furrowed brows, his concern for You evident in the worried lines etched upon his face. He had sensed your melancholy from the moment You had withdrawn to your quarters, and despite his best efforts to coax You out of your seclusion, You had insisted that You were fine, not wanting to burden him with your troubles.

But BD-1, after sensing your distress, took it upon himself to cheer You up. With a soft chirp, the little droid scuttled into your quarters, carrying an assortment of gifts and trinkets.

You looked up when BD-1 dropped the presents at your feet, startled by the unexpected intrusion. But when You gazed into the droid’s photoreceptor lenses, You noticed something—empathy, compassion and a silent invitation to share in his company.

With a small smile, you reached out to accept the gifts that BD-1 had brought for You, each one a small token of friendship and comfort in the midst of your loneliness. A handcrafted charm bracelet, a bundle of aromatic herbs, and a holorecording of soothing music—all thoughtfully chosen to lift your spirits and ease the ache in your heart.

As You held the gifts close to your heart, a wave of gratitude washed over You, grateful for the droid’s unwavering support and companionship.

When Cal noticed BD-1 entering your quarters, he longed to join in as well, wanting to do everything he could to make You feel better and suddenly, an idea came to him. Quickly, he brewed a cup of your favorite caf, its rich aroma filling the air. With each measured step, he poured his heart into the simple act of preparing the beverage, hoping that it will bring You some solace in the midst of your turmoil.

As the redhead slowly walked into your quarters with the steaming cup in hand, he felt a sense of relief wash over him at the sight of the little droid’s offerings laid out before You on your bed. He was grateful for BD-1’s presence, knowing that the little droid was looking after You in his own unique way, offering You comfort when You needed it the most.

When You saw Cal enter your quarters with hesitant steps, You couldn’t help but feel a surge of warmth in your chest at the sight of him. The small, sympathetic smile he wore tugged at your heartstrings, and as You watched him walk closer, your lips curved into a small smile of your own.

Slowly, Cal extended the cup towards You, his gesture a silent offering of support and understanding. And as You accepted the cup of caf, You felt a sense of gratitude, knowing that with Cal and BD-1 present, You were never truly alone, even in your moments of solitude. Their presence and unwavering support filled the room with a comforting sense of companionship that eased the ache in your heart.

When Cal moved to leave You to your thoughts, as You had requested earlier, a sudden impulse seized You. “ Cal, wait!” You called out, surprising yourself with the words.

Turning back to face You, the redhead’s expression was one of curiosity, his eyes searching yours.

“Would you… would you mind staying here for a while?” You asked, your voice soft with uncertainty. “I could use the company…”

A flicker of emotion passed through Cal’s eyes; a mixture of surprise, gratitude and something deeper You couldn’t quite recognise. With a small nod, he settled into the seat opposite You, his presence along with BD-1’s providing reassurance amidst your troubled thoughts.

And as you all sat together in the comfort of your quarters, the warmth of the caf and the gentle hum of conversation filled the air, slowly dissipating the tension from earlier. With each passing moment, You found yourself drawn deeper into the warmth of Cal’s presence, the sound of his deep voice soothing your worries.

As You listened to him speak, your gaze wandered, taking in the details of his appearance with a newfound appreciation. His fiery red hair, the brightest You had ever seen, seemed to glow in the soft light of the room.

His green eyes, so vibrant and full of life, sparkled with intelligence and kindness, drawing You in with their magnetic charm. And as You met his gaze, You found yourself captivated by the depth and warmth that lay within them, a reflection of the soul that resided behind those beautiful emerald orbs.

His freckles, scattered like constellations across his sun-kissed skin, added to his charm, giving him an air of boyish innocence that belied the immense strength and resilience he possessed. And though his face carried the marks of battles fought and hardships endured, each scar only served to enhance his rugged allure, a testament to the trials and tribulations he had overcome over the years.

While You took in the sight of him, bathed in the soft glow of the room, You couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and admiration wash over You. In that moment, surrounded by the comforting embrace of his presence, You knew that You were in the presence of someone truly special—a friend, a confidant, and perhaps something more.

As time went on and the bond between You and the duo deepened, You developed a deep, almost parental affection for the little droid, despite not understanding what he said half the time. Often, in moments of excitement or tenderness, You found yourself affectionately calling BD-1 "Beebee" or "BB-1," much to Cal’s amusement.

During one particularly heartwarming moment by the campfire during a stop on Bogano, as Cal's hand brushed against yours and the stars twinkled overhead, You couldn't resist reaching out to BD-1 with a soft smile.

"Come here, Beebee," You cooed, beckoning the droid closer.

BD-1 chirped happily, nuzzling against your side with a warmth that made your heart swell.

Cal chuckled at the endearing nickname, his eyes crinkling with affection as he observed the exchange.

"You're my little bebe!" You exclaimed, unable to contain your adoration for the droid, causing Cal's laughter to fill the air, a melodic sound that echoed through the night.

"You're going to spoil him with all that love," he teased, his playful tone only adding to the warmth of the moment.

You grinned, feeling a sense of contentment wash over You. "Well, he deserves it," You replied, reaching out to pat BD-1's head affectionately.

Another one of your adventures led you all to an enchanting night market, where the dim glow of colourful lanterns illuminated the bustling streets. Cloaked in hooded robes that disguised your identities, You and Cal strolled through the bustling streets and crowds of people. The outer rim planet that you all had landed on was far from the watchful eyes of the Empire, but the threat of being hunted down as Jedi still lingered, necessitating caution in your movements.

As you both moved through the sea of sellers and stalls, You couldn't help but steal glances at Cal, admiring how handsome and mysterious he looked in his black cloak.

Cal too stole glances at You from beneath his hood, unable to contain his admiration. The way your eyes sparkled with curiosity as You took in the sights and sounds around You, the delicate curve of your smile as You marveled at the many stalls— it all filled him with a warmth that he couldn't quite explain.

His thoughts drifted to uncharted territory as he found himself yearning for more than just companionship with You. The urge to reach out and hold You close, to feel the warmth of your embrace and the softness of your touch, tugged at his heartstrings with an intensity he hadn't anticipated.

But the redhead knew better than to act on such impulses, especially in the midst of such a perilous situation. The threat of danger loomed overhead, reminding him of the risks involved in allowing his emotions to take control. And yet, despite the rational voice of caution in his mind, he couldn't shake the longing that stirred within him whenever he looked at You.

And as You turned to face him with a curious expression, he felt a rush of warmth fill his chest, the desire to protect and cherish You overwhelming any doubts or fears that lingered within him. In that moment, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the night market, Cal knew one thing for certain; he would do anything to keep You safe.

The redhead’s thoughts were interrupted when You suddenly rushed inside a bookstore with shelves full of interesting titles. Among them, a book on how to learn Binary stuck out, with a cover full of symbols and characters that attracted your interest.

"Hey, Cal, check this out!" You exclaimed, excitedly holding up the book after he caught up to You. "I've always wanted to learn Binary, especially now so I can understand Beebee better. What do you think?"

Cal glanced at the book, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I think that's a great idea," he replied, his voice warm with encouragement. "Learning Binary could definitely help you and Beedee communicate more effectively."

Turning to BD-1, who was perched on Cal's shoulder, You addressed the droid with a playful grin. "What do you think, Beebee? You think I can learn Binary? Then you and I can gossip like schoolgirls, won't that be fun?"

Cal chuckled at your remark, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "I definitely think Beedee will have some juicy gossip to tell you," he quipped, eliciting a series of excited beeps from the droid. "But yeah, learning Binary sounds like a fantastic idea. Just promise me one thing: as long as you both don't gossip about me, I'm all for it."

You giggled in response before purchasing the book and tucking it safely into your robes. For some reason, You hadn’t thought to ask Cal for lessons, thinking You could learn on your own and not wanting to trouble him as he already had too much on his plate. But now, with the book in hand, You were eager to begin learning.

After weeks turned to months aboard the Mantis, You received communication from a distant friend from within the rebellion You worked for, presenting You with a difficult choice. The holographic image flickered to life from within your now fixed comms unit, revealing the face of a trusted ally, their voice filled with urgency and determination as they extended an invitation for You to return to the rebellion.

For a moment, You felt torn, the call to duty and the desire to make a difference in the Galaxy making You feel conflicted. The rebellion was your way of fighting for freedom and justice alongside allies who shared your ideals and convictions.

But as You glanced around the familiar surroundings of the Mantis, the faces of Cal and BD-1 staring back at You with concern and uncertainty, You realised that this ship had become more than just a travelling vessel—it was your sanctuary, your home.

Cal, ever perceptive to the turmoil raging within You, approached with a gentle hand resting on your shoulder, his eyes filled with understanding and empathy. “Whatever you decide, know that we’re here for you,” he said, his voice soft and reassuring. “You’re a part of this crew, a part of this family, and we’ll support you no matter what.”

With a heavy heart, You weighed your options, torn between the duty to your cause and the love for your newfound family.

In the end, You made your decision, lead on by your stubborn sense of duty to the cause. The call to serve the rebellion beckoned with an undeniable urgency. In a way, You and Cal were very similar, feeling like you both needed to keep fighting, unable to shake the sense of duty that weight heavily on both of you.

Cal accepted your decision with great reluctance, having half a mind to join You but he had his own duty to fulfill for Saw Gerrera’s rebellion.

When the moment of your departure drew closer, Cal and BD-1 stood beside You as You gathered your meagre belongings, their expressions a mirror of your own conflicted emotions, as You prepared to leave. The duo knew that your absence would leave a void aboard the Mantis that would be difficult to fill.

Cal, ever stoic and composed, held his emotions in check, offering You a reassuring smile as he bid You farewell. His words of encouragement and support echoed in your ears, reminding You that You were not alone in your decision, no matter how difficult it may be.

BD-1 on the other hand, unable to contain his emotions, wailed and cried, clinging to your legs desperately as You attempted to walk down the ramp of the Mantis and onto the planet. The little droid’s cries of distress tore at your heartstrings, filling You with a sense of guilt and anguish as You struggled to pull away.

“Beebee, it’s okay,” You whispered, calling him with that endearing nickname, your voice thick with emotions as You tried to soothe the distraught droid. “I’ll come back, I promise. We’ll see eachother again soon.”

But BD-1’s cries only grew louder, his little legs clinging to You in a desperate embrace, refusing to let go. Tears welled in your eyes as You looked into the droid’s photoreceptors, seeing the depth of his sorrow reflected back at You.

As he watched BD-1 cling to You with such desperation, witnessing the droid’s anguish and your distress, Cal felt a pang of sorrow and longing grip his heart as well. He slowly approached you both, gently reaching out to the droid. “’We shouldn’t be doing this’,” he murmured softly, his voice laced with sorrow as he pried BD-1 away from You. “We must respect others’ decisions…”

The redhead wanted nothing more than to embrace You, to hold You close and offer You comfort in this difficult moment. But he knew that if he allowed himself to give in to that temptation, he would break down completely. With a heavy heart, Cal settled for a handshake instead, his touch gentle yet firm as he bid You farewell. He knew that letting You go was the right thing to do, even if it tore him apart inside.

With a heavy heart, your touch lingered on Cal’s hand before You gave BD-1 one last reassuring pat before finally stepping away and descending down the ramp. And as You walked away, the echoes of BD-1's cries followed You, a haunting reminder of the sacrifice You had made in the name of duty.

As your silhouette faded into the horizon, Cal couldn’t shake the weight of grief that settled in his chest. Watching you leave, he couldn't help but reflect on the bond that had formed between You, him and BD-1, realizing how much he and the little droid had come to cherish You.

In the short time You had been aboard the Mantis, You had become like family to them. And now, just as they had grown accustomed to your presence, You were leaving them, all too soon, like so many others before You.

The thought of saying goodbye was nearly unbearable, a painful reminder of the transience of life and the fleeting nature of companionship in a Galaxy ripped apart by conflict and suffering. But even as the pain of loss threatened to overwhelm him, Cal knew that he couldn't hold You back, knowing all too well that your duty to the rebellion was a call You could not ignore.

As Cal returned inside the Mantis, a heaviness settled upon him, weighing down his spirit with the burden of your departure. Unable to muster the resolve to fly the ship just yet, he found himself sinking into melancholy, the empty space around him echoing with the absence of your presence.

Sitting in the cockpit, Cal held BD-1 close to him, the little droid providing what comfort it could with its mechanical chirps and beeps. But even as he clung to BD-1, a sense of loneliness overcame him, a stark reminder of the void left behind by your absence.

"BeeDee," Cal murmured softly, his voice tinged with sadness. "We... We both really did come to love our new friend, didn't we?"

"Boo-woo..." BD-1 beeped in response, his photoreceptors dimming with sorrow as he nestled closer to the redhead. In that moment, as they sat together in the silent cockpit, Cal sought solace in the presence of his loyal droid.

BD-1 then emitted a flurry of hurried beeps, crying out to Cal with urgency, telling—demanding him to bring You back right this instant. Cal felt a pang of sadness grip his heart as the desperation in BD-1's cries mirrored his own inner turmoil, reminding him of the depth of the bond that had formed between him and You.

"We shouldn't be doing something like this..." Cal repeated solemnly, shaking his head as he recalled his earlier words when BD had clung to You. "We can't force someone like that..."

His voice was heavy with resignation, a reflection of the harsh reality they faced. Despite their wishes and desires, they couldn't force You to stay, no matter how much they wanted to. The decision was yours alone to make, and they had to respect that, no matter how difficult it may be.

BD-1 emitted a series of mournful beeps in response, his sorrow palpable as he nestled closer to Cal, seeking solace in his presence. Together, they sat in the quiet confines of the cockpit, grappling with the emptiness left behind by your departure, silently hoping that You will return to them one day.

Meanwhile, as the evening turned into night, You found yourself immersed in the routine of life within the rebellion's base once more, but the memory of leaving your newfound family behind weighed heavily on your mind. Amidst the chatter and activity of your fellow rebels, a sense of longing gnawed at your heart, aching for the companionship and camaraderie You had experienced aboard the Mantis.

In the quiet solitude of your old quarters, You unpacked your belongings, the Binary language book You had purchased a few weeks earlier catching your eye. The sight of it brought back precious memories, reminding You of the laughter, the warmth, and the sense of belonging You had felt with Cal and BD-1. In that moment, You realised with a pang of regret how big of a mistake You had made in leaving them behind.

With resolution burning within You, You made a spur-of-the-moment decision to return to the Mantis, hoping against hope that it wasn't too late. Racing through the dimly lit corridors of the rebellion's base, your heart pounded with anticipation as You hurried towards the landing pad where the ship was stationed.

As You approached, the silhouette of the Mantis came into view, bathed in the soft glow of moonlight. Relief washed over You as You realised despite the few hours that had passed since You had left, the ship was still there, almost as if waiting patiently for your return.

You ran up the ramp and inside the ship, your breath coming in ragged gasps as your gaze fell on the solemn figures of Cal and BD-1. For a brief moment, confusion flickered across their faces, but it quickly gave way to surprise and joy as they realised that You had returned.

BD-1 was the first to react, emitting a series of excited beeps as he rushed towards You. Tears welled up in your eyes as You knelt down to greet the little droid, wrapping your arms around his small frame in a tight embrace.

"I'm so sorry," You whispered tearfully. "I didn't mean to leave you. I didn't realise how much you both meant to me until I was gone."

BD-1 chirped softly in response, his photoreceptors gleaming with happiness as he nuzzled against You. Meanwhile, Cal approached slowly, his expression a mixture of relief and concern as he watched the emotional reunion unfold before him.

"Welcome back," he said softly, his voice tinged with emotion.

With BD-1 by your side as a reassuring presence, You rose from your embrace with the droid and turned to face Cal, the weight of your emotions spilling over as You threw your arms around him in a tight hug.

As You hugged Cal, your heart overflowing with emotion, he returned the embrace just as fervently, his strong arms enveloping You in a comforting hold.

"I'm so sorry, Cal," You whispered once more, your voice trembling. "I didn't mean to leave you both..."

Cal held You at arm's length, his gaze meeting yours with a mixture of relief and sincerity. "You mean a lot to us, you know," he said softly, his voice carrying the weight of his feelings. "We've come to rely on you, to count on you. And when you left..."

His voice trailed off, the unspoken words hanging heavy in the air. But before You could respond, BD-1 let out a series of joyful beeps, trotting over to nuzzle against You in his own display of affection.

The redhead grinned fondly at the droid before turning his attention back to You. "Beedee's right. You're not just a member of the crew," he continued, his words filled with warmth. "You're family. And we're just grateful to have you back where you belong."

Tears of gratitude flowed down your cheeks as You gazed at Cal, feeling the weight of his words sink in. In that moment, surrounded by the love and acceptance of your chosen family, You knew that You were exactly where You were meant to be.

Your adventures continued, roaming the Galaxy with Cal and BD-1. Despite using your book to teach yourself Binary and spending more time with BD-1, your grasp of the language remained shaky at best, leading to frequent misunderstandings with your droid friend that often led to comical yet occasionally embarrassing moments.

During one very tense mission on a remote planet, BD-1 emitted a series of urgent beeps, which You interpreted as a call for action. Without hesitation, You activated the nearest control panel, thinking You were helping to disable a security system. But your actions did the opposite instead, triggering a blaring alarm and alerting nearby guards.

Cal chuckled softly at your mistake, but his amusement turned to concern when You misinterpreted BD-1's attempts at giving directions using the help of his holomap. Confused by the droid's beeps, You accidentally led the way into a dead-end corridor, much to Cal's bemusement.

"Oh, wrong turn…" You mumbled sheepishly, earning a sympathetic pat on the back from Cal.

As the mission progressed, so did your series of misunderstandings. At one point, BD-1 signaled for a left turn, but You mistook it for a right, resulting on a wild goose chase through a maze of corridors. Cal laughed good-naturedly as You backtracked, feeling slightly embarrassed but grateful— and very surprised—for his immense patience.

Later, during a small respite from missions, BD-1 chirped happily and nudged You, prompting You to offer the droid a sandwich You had just made.

Cal chuckled again, gently correcting your mistake. "He's asking for a power recharge, not a snack," he explained, suppressing a grin.

Blushing, You quickly helped BD-1 into the charging station, feeling a bit silly but grateful for the opportunity to learn.

As you three continued your journey, your misunderstandings with BD-1 became both more frequent and more amusing. One memorable incident during a mission on a remote outpost, BD-1 quickly warned You about a slippery surface ahead. However, You misinterpreted the droid's chirps as encouragement for a fun slide.

With a playful grin, You ran and launched yourself onto the surface, expecting a thrilling ride. Instead, your feet flew out from under You, and You landed with a loud thud that sent a cloud of dust into the air.

Cal rushed over, concern etched on his face, but as he helped You up and noticed You were fine except a few scrapes, his expression softened into a grin.

"You really need to work on your Binary," he teased, his eyes twinkling with mirth.

Blushing furiously, You burst out into laughter along with him, grateful for his good humor and unwavering support.

One evening, as the three of you sat around a campfire beneath a blanket of stars, the flames casting flickering shadows across the campsite, You couldn't help but steal glances at Cal when he wasn't looking. His red hair, illuminated by the warm glow of the fire, appeared to shimmer like molten copper, framing his face in a halo of fiery strands.

His freckled cheeks, kissed by the suns of countless worlds, added a touch of youthful charm to his rugged features. And when he laughed, his eyes sparkled like twin galaxies, filled with a light that seemed to chase away the darkness.

But it wasn't just his appearance that captivated You—it was the effortless grace with which he moved, the strength and agility evident in every fluid motion. His muscular yet lithe physique reflected countless hours spent honing his skills, preparing for the challenges that lay ahead.

Lost in admiration, You found yourself drawn to him in ways You couldn't quite explain, feeling a sense of déjà vu during that moment as You admired him. And as You watched him tend to the fire, his movements sure and purposeful, You couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement in your chest.

While the flames danced and crackled, Cal couldn't help but steal a glance at You as well when he thought You weren't looking. He felt a surge of gratitude and relief to have You there with him, especially after the rest of the Mantis crew had split, each going their separate ways.

In those quiet moments by the campfire, Cal's thoughts drifted to the challenges you had faced together so far—the battles fought and the bonds forged in the crucible of adversity. And through it all, You had stood by his side, a constant companion whose presence filled him with a sense of hope and purpose.

He also admired your determination to learn binary, your willingness to laugh at your own mistakes, and the genuine warmth and affection You showed towards BD-1. In your company, he found a sense of peace and belonging, something he hadn't felt since the fall of the Jedi Order.

Lost in his thoughts, the redhead couldn't help but feel a surge of affection for You, grateful for your unwavering support and companionship. And as he watched You, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

Cal's gaze remained on You longer than usual, a hint of something more lingering in his eyes. As the crackling of the fire filled the silence, he reached out to gently brush a stray strand of hair from your face, his touch sending a shiver down your spine.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Caught off guard by the intensity of his gaze, You nodded, unable to tear your eyes away from his.

"I... I think so," You stuttered, your heart racing in your chest.

In that moment, the world around You seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of you in the soft glow of the campfire. Without another word, Cal leaned in closer, his lips brushing against yours in a tender, hesitant kiss.

Time seemed to stand still as You melted into his embrace, the warmth of his touch sending sparks of electricity dancing across your skin. In that moment, nothing else mattered but the two of you, lost in the embrace of the night.

As You pulled away, breathless and flushed, Cal's eyes sparkled in their intensity, his calloused hand reaching out to intertwine with yours.

"I've been wanting to do that for a long time," he admitted, his voice filled with a mixture of longing and relief.

With a smile, You squeezed his hand, feeling a sense of peace settle over You. "Me too," You whispered, knowing that in that moment, You had found something worth fighting for amidst the chaos of the Galaxy.

As You and Cal continued to lovingly gaze into each other's eyes, soft little footsteps filled the air, accompanied by the joyous chirps of BD-1. However, in your post-kiss daze, You misinterpreted the droid's enthusiastic speech, thinking he was teasing You for being all googly-eyed over Cal.

"Beebee, not now," You whispered nervously, blushing furiously as You tried to compose yourself.

Cal laughed, his eyes sparkling with amusement as he gently nudged You. "I think BeeDee is just happy for us," he teased, his tone laced with affectionate amusement.

You shot him a sheepish grin, realising You mistook the little droid once again. "I guess I still have a lot to learn," You admitted.

Cal's teasing grin softened into a warm smile as he squeezed your hand. "Well, lucky for you, I'm an excellent teacher," he replied, his teasing tone hinting at something more than just language lessons.

You couldn't help but blush at the underlying implication of his words, a flutter of excitement dancing in your chest. You leaned in to kiss him once more and as the tender moment between You and Cal lingered, bathed in the soft glow of the campfire, BD-1’s lenses suddenly whirred to life, capturing the scene in a flash of light. Startled, You pulled away from the kiss, blinking in surprise as You turned to see the droid standing nearby, his photoreceptors zooming in and out as they focused on You and Cal with mechanical precision.

“BeeBee, what are you doing?” You asked, a mixture of amusement and curiosity apparent in your voice.

Cal chuckled softly, his arm still wrapped around You as he glanced at the small droid with a playful grin. “I think BeeDee wanted to capture the moment,” he explained, his eyes alight with amusement.

You couldn’t help but laugh at the unexpected gesture, feeling a rush of warmth fill your chest at the thought of having a memento of this special moment.

“Well, I guess we’ll have to thank BeeBee for the souvenir,” You replied, leaning into Cal’s embrace with a contented sigh, giggling when You heard the little droid let out an excited “Whoop!” in response.

You, Cal and BD-1 settled back into the quiet comfort of the night, the image captured by BD’s lenses served as a reminder of the bond You shared with the other Jedi—a bond formed from friendship and love.

As silence once again fell upon the campsite, You found yourself lost in a moment of quiet reflection. The memory of how Cal and BD-1 had found You, helping You escape from the stormtroopers, flooded your mind with a wave of gratitude. If it hadn't been for them, You might not be here, nestled in Cal's arms, sharing laughter and companionship under the starry sky.

With a sweet smile, You turned to Cal, the flickering flames casting shadows across his features. "You know," You began softly, "I often find myself thinking about that day when a Jedi and a droid came into my life. If it weren't for you, I don't know where I'd be now. Thank you, Cal, for everything."

Cal's gaze met yours, his expression tender and sincere. "You don't have to thank me," he replied gently. "I'm just grateful that we found each other. You've become a part of our family, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

His words warmed your heart, filling You with a sense of belonging that You had never known before. With a grateful nod, You leaned even further into his embrace, savoring the comfort and reassurance of his presence. In that moment, surrounded by the silence of the night, the warmth of Cal's love and the joyous chatter of BD-1, You knew that You were exactly where You were meant to be.

[tealmist55]

@may01st Day 1: New Experiences

Ahsoka gets her real first kiss.

What It’s Supposed To Feel Like

Rating: T

Characters/Relationships: Fives & Ahsoka, Fives/Ahsoka

Tags: Aged-up Ahsoka (she’s 18), hurt/comfort, unexpected feelings

Warnings: None!

Summary: Fives didn't know what was bothering Ahsoka, but figured it couldn't hurt to check up on his commander and friend. What he wasn't expecting was to find out that she was bothered by the events that culminated in her first kiss. Fives was definitely not the person best equipped to handle this conversation, but he couldn't back out now.

Read HERE on AO3.

This is actually the first Fivesoka fic I ever wrote and, if I recall correctly, I threw it together and posted it in one day because I was so desperate for more content. 😆 Anyway, enjoy! 💙🧡

@snips2112 @aknightreaderr @snarkyfina @cyarikacyare @marvelfulcrum8108

[palasakiweek]

Day 1 of Palasaki Week is here!

Today's theme is Hurt/Comfort or Sickfic

Each day we will be sharing a post like this with the day's prompts and their descriptions. If you would like to look at each day's prompts and their descriptions ahead of time refer to the pinned prompts post.

Choose whichever prompt you like best

The descriptions for each of these prompts are:

HURT COMFORT- Have all the painful moments of one of the girls getting hurt emotionally, physically, spiritually, mentally or any upset under the sun, and then all the fluffiness of the other comforting them. Or put them both through the ringer and then bring them fluffy togetherness anything goes here.

SICKFIC - Have one of the girls being compromised regularly sick or magically sick and add all the sicky shenanigans that goes with it whether that's kissing a boo-boo better or wrapping the other in a warm blanket all the romantic sickness events can be involved

Have fun today guys with our compromised girlies! 💜🩷

[saffusthings]

Right off the back you had me hooked - talking about how her hurt could be tucked in her pocket like a gum wrapper was PERFECTTT description. The difference between functioning and living is such a fine balance and you illustrate it so well in your writing.

There was so much back and forth in this chapter - it was so brilliant. The slow descent into an almost sort of madness on Landos part, and how r can’t let go. Her heads in one place and her heart is a totally different one. The way she begs Lando to leave when he finally shows up, thinking about how much more he could hurt her, but still she never sends him away! And oh…finally getting to hear her perspective fully when she goes to Margot’s grave…the poor girl is so damn confused. I don’t blame her, I would be too! I think it would be so easy to fall into the trap of making it cliche and giving in easily but you hold onto the angst and it’s FABULOUS!

I’m so excited for where this goes next. I’m so excited to see how Landos world and r’s world collides - how will any of the mob business get involved? I’m here for the angst I’m here for the hurt/comfort and above all I’m here for whatever the fuck you want to write because I just know it’ll be amazing ❤️🦦

that line in particular was a favorite of mine! i really wanted to convey that sense of making your grief smaller or more palatable just so that you can still keep it with you, so that no one can tell you that you're making a big deal about it or letting it affect you too much - so you make convenient and portable instead, while still carrying it all.

i personally really wanted this series to have a mix of 'fake mob stuff that would probably never happen irl' and 'okay but that's realistic tho' because i love when a fictional world dips its fingers into our reality in way that makes you feel like you can still connect to it, and that's what i wanted for second chances.

the other reason i really like the gum wrapper analogy because of lando's gum arc, where he starts obsessive chewing gum because he's trying to quit smoking (for y/n). so in my head lando is permanently annoyed about and is careless enough (or intentionally) leaves gum wrappers in her apartment, which she never seemed to be mad enough about bc as much as she hated it, it meant that he was comfortable and here.

[alondradina]

Trying out Febuwhump for this first time! I have been struggling with writer's block for almost a year, and this is the first time I've managed to finish anything aside from drabbles. Wish me luck getting through the rest of the prompts.

Day 1: Vocal cords

Fandom: Dragon Age/Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Pairing: Solas/Rook, Solas/f!Rook

https://archiveofourown.org/works/62697871

—

“Yes. You regret very little in your life.” His smile doesn't reach his eyes. “If only I could follow your example.”

Rook sneers and steps into his space. “Maybe don't make such shitty decisions, Solas.”

Victory has never tasted so bitter. Rook trudges through Blight ravaged paths in her search for Solas. The big fat liar. She seethes — yearning to blame him for the losses her people have suffered today — but she tamps it down. Her rage must be contained if she has any hope of winning.

Her throat burns. The orders she has desperately screamed for the past few hours have scraped her vocal cords raw. If she could drink something, maybe it would be better, but her canteen is empty and it feels like sandpaper is sliding up and down her throat. Coughing, she hands her empty canteen to a runner and prays that it will be returned to her before she has to give orders again.

She finds Solas shortly after, and watches him bat away Blight tendrils as a horse does flies: quick, forceful, and with an unnecessary amount of force. There are faster, more elegant, less wasteful ways to deal with them, but he does not care.

A tendril is slammed down right next to her, and then Solas finally appears to notice her. “Rook.”

“Solas,” she croaks, grimacing. She licks her chapped lips and meets his gaze. “Your prison couldn't even hold a mortal. How was it supposed to have contained two elvhen gods?”

“You escaped sooner than expected,” he comments. His eyes run up and down her bedraggled form. “Good. We will need to work together to defeat Elgar'nan.”

“We aren't doing shit,” she growls. “You betrayed-”

“You are free now,” he interrupts, pausing for a moment to slam another tendril away, “as planned, and now we must move on.”

“Move on?!”

Solas sighs and approaches her. “My apologies for the deception, Rook. It was necessary. I could not escape on my own, and I was needed here.”

“You were needed? We didn't need you. I was already-”

“I am pleased you overcame your regrets so quickly. I had thought it was one of your weaker emotions, and that seems to be the case.”

“Weaker?” Rook asks, holding a hand out to ward him off. “What does that mean?”

He chuckles. “The prison uses your strongest emotions to hold you. In your case, I spent weeks preparing you to take over regret in my place.”

“You said it was my weakest-?”

“Yes. You regret very little in your life.” His smile doesn't reach his eyes. “If only I could follow your example.”

Rook sneers and steps into his space. “Maybe don't make such shitty decisions, Solas.”

“I wonder what decisions you would have made, in my stead,” he counters, “had you faced what I faced.”

“Don't think-” she coughs, turning away to finish her fit before continuing, “I don't think I could do much worse, that's for sure.”

Cool fingers slide along her jaw before tilting her face to meet his gaze. “You sound unwell.”

“I'm fine,” she rasps, grabbing his wrist and attempting to pull it away.

“I have water.”

She can't keep herself from licking her lips again. “I said I'm fine.”

Finally releasing her, he holds her eyes for a moment before walking away. She glances back at her team — hoping her canteen would suddenly appear — before following him. He stops by a pack and rifles through it before pulling out a canteen.

“I already said no.”

“It does no one any good if you lose your voice this early in the fight.” He holds it out to her.

“Early in the fight,” she mutters, refusing to look at him. “The fighting never stops.”

“That seems to be the way of this world.”

She glowers at him. “Doesn't sound like your world was much better, Fen’harel.”

He sloshes the water around and she wishes she could just throttle him. Still not looking at him, she snatches the canteen.

The first sip of water she swishes to wet her mouth. She spits it out and rinses her mouth again before finally swallowing. Taking careful sips, she steadfastly ignores Solas until she finishes. Carefully closing the canteen, she hands it back.

“Better?”

“My throat doesn't feel like sandpaper anymore,” she shrugs.

He frowns. “Your voice is still-”

“I don't know how many times I have to say I'm fi-”

“At least twice more,” he teases, “until you can convince yourself, at the very least.”

“Well, I'm not thirsty anymore. The rest will go away at some point. We have a god to fight, Solas.”

“I could soothe your throat,” he offers.

“Solas, if you don't leave it be-”

He reaches towards her throat. “Let me help you, Rook. It is a small enough atonement.”

She huffs. “Will that be the end of it?”

“Yes.”

She sighs irritably, but doesn't resist when his hand loosely clasps her throat. The magic is cool and somehow feels more refreshing than the water had been.

“Done,” he says finally. She opens her eyes — when had they closed? — to see his smug face. His fingers squeeze gently before slowly releasing. “It is good that you still trust me.”

“Trust is a strong word.”

He laughs. “Perhaps it is. Come, we must discuss our strategy with the others.”

Watching him go, she holds a hand to her throat. It is all too easy to fall back into their easy comradery from before the betrayal. She can't afford to fall prey to him again.

[bloody-bee-tea]

24 Days of MHA Day 2 - Moonface

Hitoshi did it. He made it into the hero course, basically achieving his live-long dream. And because that's clearly not enough, he also got out of his abusive foster-family, found a home—and dare he think it, a family—with Aizawa and Yamada and now he's also making friends with his fellow students in 1-A.

Everything is absolutely perfect.

If only it weren't for the angry glares and even angrier remarks he regularly gets from Bakugo.

"The hell are you even doing here?" Bakugo spits in just that moment as Hitoshi passes him and Hitoshi bites back on a sigh.

They've been over this so many times; at first he tried to explain the concept of transferring courses to Bakugo, which only earned him a few explosions almost too close for comfort before Kirishima managed to drag Bakugo off with an apologetic smile. Then Hitoshi fell back on his trusted sarcasm and spouted the most bullshit reasons he could think of at Bakugo which very predictably made him also just mad.

By now Hitoshi is at the stage where he simply ignores Bakugo as best as he can when he starts with this topic again because it makes no goddamn sense. Hitoshi worked hard for where he is right now and from what he has seen Bakugo is someone who values hard work. Hell, Bakugo even complimented him on his progress in his true Bakugo fashion. Hitoshi's transfer made sure Mineta could be kicked out of the school much more easily, too, which everyone has been happy about. And it's not as if Hitoshi is encroaching on Bakugo's friend circle, either. He sticks to Midoriya and his crew most of the time, though Kaminari and Jiro are definitely more than just classmates for Hitoshi now as well.

All in all, it just doesn't make sense for Bakugo to be this hostile towards him some days, and especially not over the same stupid question again and again, but getting anything valuable out of Bakugo is like pulling teeth and Hitoshi is not interested in that.

So he bites back a sigh, he briefly nods Bakugo hello and then he concentrates on Midoriya rambling at him again.

It's easier like that, even if he can still feel Bakugo's eyes burn into his back as they walk past.

Whatever, Hitoshi thinks. It will pass.

~*~*~

It does—maybe unsurprisingly—not pass. Quite the opposite really, because Bakugo gets more and more aggressive with every unanswered demand to know what the fuck Hitoshi could possibly be doing in the hero course and in all honesty, Hitoshi is growing beyond tired of it.

He brought it up with Aizawa, mostly because he asked after seeing Bakugo spit the question at Hitoshi but even he couldn't come up with an explanation as to why Bakugo would be this hostile towards Hitoshi.

Bakugo values a good work morale and a strong quirk and a drive above everything else and logically, Hitoshi should tick all the boxes but clearly something is upsetting Bakugo.

And Hitoshi is going to figure the hell out just what the fuck that could be because he's quickly sliding into the annoyed territory and he hoped being in the hero course would be good. Which it mainly is but Bakugo is starting to piss him off so Hitoshi has to do something.

The perfect opportunity presents itself when Aizawa pairs them up against each other in a training exercise. Bakugo steps onto the field with utmost confidence and a sneer, adjusting his gauntlet as he stakes a stance in front of Hitoshi, as if he doesn't have anything to worry about.

Well, sucks to be him, then, Hitoshi thinks, almost pettily, and keeps his relaxed stance as open as possible.

It's screaming trap and Bakugo must pick up on it, because he stays where he is, even when Aizawa calls out for them to start.

"The fuck are you doing here, zombie face?" Bakugo asks him, like he has so often before and Hitoshi rolls his eyes.

"I don't know, why don't you tell me?" he wants to know and smirks when Bakugo presses his lips together.

"Ah, getting cautious, I see," Hitoshi muses. "Well, we all made our way into the hero course, so I have just as much reason to be here than you do," Hitoshi then tells him and bites down on his smirk when Bakugo answers him.

"Do you? Why the hell do you want to be a fucking hero in the first place?" Bakugo spits out and Hitoshi refuses to let that sting, but he also refuses to let Bakugo go on and call him a goddamn villain like everyone else in his life has done.

But instead of arguing with Bakugo, he tugs—oh so carefully—on the thin and wispy string that is connecting them now, subtly reinforcing it until he can tug on it and make Bakugo go under.

Hitoshi hasn't just been training hand-to-hand combat with Aizawa. He's also been strengthening his quirk and it turns out, it is possible to brainwash someone even if they didn't answer a direct question.

He just needs to be so much more delicate about it.

"Go out of bounds," Hitoshi orders Bakugo and he releases him as soon as he's over the line and Aizawa calls the fight.

Bakugo immediately whirls around, fixing him with a piercing glare but Hitoshi isn't one to back down, so he holds his gaze as evenly as he can.

"I trained my ass off to be here, so you do not get to judge my place in this course. I'm just as much a hero in training as you are, so fuck off with your hostility," he hisses out and then turns his back on Bakugo before he can say anything else.

Aizawa would normally reprimand him for his language but he knows just how annoyed Hitoshi has been by Bakugo's constant remarks and so he lets it slide, for which Hitoshi is thankful.

It's enough that his friends gather around him almost immediately and talk all over themselves, asking about his new ability, congratulating him on the win and—in Midoriya's case—taking notes.

Hitoshi pretends he doesn't feel Bakugo's eyes burn into the side of his face.

~*~*~

Hitoshi is listening to Uraraka, gushing about her internship with Gunhead, pumping her fists excitedly, when Bakugo's door flies open.

"A word, troll doll," he growls out and Hitoshi freezes mid-step.

Uraraka's head flies between Hitoshi and Bakugo and Hitoshi can tell that she has half a mind simply pushing Hitoshi along the hallway, pretending as if nothing happened but Hitoshi is tired.

Tired of Bakugo's glares, tired of his remarks, tired of being made to feel as if he doesn't belong and so he gently pushes Uraraka further down the hallway.

"It's okay," he tells her, which she clearly does not believe.

"I'm not going to fucking murder him, moonface," Bakugo grumbles and while Hitoshi doubts that, he shrugs.

"And even if he does, you'll know he was the last person to see me alive. Just make sure I get justice," Hitoshi jokes and gives her a little shove. "I'll join you later," he promises, even though he has no clue if he will.

He has no clue what Bakugo wants from him and seeing as how no one has ever been allowed into his room, murder is still very much on the table.

Hitoshi is not looking forward to a painful death of being exploded, but maybe they can figure something out.

"Are you sure?" Uraraka asks and Hitoshi nods as reassuringly as he knows how to.

"Absolutely positive. He's gonna get kicked out if he kills me and he doesn't want that, so I'm safe."

At least Hitoshi hopes he is, but when Bakugo only crosses his arms in front of his chest and nods, he figures his chances might not actually be that bad.

"Alright. I'll let Deku know, too. If you're not with us in half an hour or contacted us we'll come and bust you out."

"I'm not some insane murderer," Bakugo snaps, not really reassuring anyone, but Uraraka only gives him a glare, before she pats Hitoshi's arm and then hurries down the hallway.

"Get in here already, would ya?" Bakugo asks and steps back, giving Hitoshi just enough space to slip past him into his room.

It's—plain, in all honesty. Hitoshi expected some personal touch at the very least, but he can only spot a few books on the table and those might be school books for all he knows.

"Stop sniffing around," Bakugo says as he closes the door and Hitoshi turns towards him with a sigh.

"Sorry I have two functioning eyes," he drawls out. "What do you want?"

"Why are you here?" Bakugo demands to know and Hitoshi frowns.

"You invited me into your room, so right back at ya."

"No, I mean—here. The hero course. U.A."

"This again?" Hitoshi is annoyed, but he counted on this being the topic. He's going to get a goddamn answer and if it kills him, which it very well might. "I'm here because just like you I'm going to be a hero."

"But why?" Bakugo wants to know and Hitoshi can read the frustration right off his face.

Well, that makes two of them, he thinks.

"What the fuck does that matter to you? Listen, if you have a problem with me or my quirk pick it up with Aizawa or your therapist or whatever. I'm not going to drop out just to make you feel better."

"No, it's not—" Bakugo cuts himself off and paces along his room.

It's surprising enough that it renders Hitoshi speechless and that feeling of complete and utter surprise only intensifies when Bakugo takes a deep breath and turns towards him again.

"Do you really want to be a hero?"

"What? I can't be, because of my villain's quirk? Is that what you're trying to say?"

"No, that's not it at all," Bakugo says, clearly frustrated now and he scrubs a hand over his face in his agitation.

Hitoshi is at a total loss now; he doesn't know what to make of this at all and he wishes Bakugo would just explain.

"I never really had a choice," Bakugo finally says and even though they are the only two in the room it takes Hitoshi a moment to place the voice because for once in his life, Bakugo is calm and his voice barely audible.

"What do you mean?"

"As soon as my quirk manifested, everyone kept commenting on how strong it is, what a good hero I'll be with it. I never—there wasn't space for me to make up my own mind. I wanted to be a hero because that's what everyone expected. And with you, I was just wondering—"

Bakugo trails off, clearly uncomfortable but Hitoshi finally, finally understands.

"You wanted to know if I ever thought about being anything else. Or if people pushed me into this by calling me a villain."

"Yes."

It's—surprisingly thoughtful of Bakugo and Hitoshi fears he might have misjudged him badly.

"Did you ever figure out if you want to be anything else?" Hitoshi asks, mostly just to gather his thoughts, because he doesn't really expect an answer from Bakugo but he surprises him again.

"I did. Two years ago I told my parents I'm not going to be a hero. I looked at other jobs, picked up some internships. It didn't feel right, nothing did. I wasn't passionate about any of it. The one thing I liked doing and was good at was training and using my quirk, so I figured I might as well put that to good use, you know."

"I do," Hitoshi admits. He had a bit of a crisis like that a few years back as well. "But I do want to be a hero. I—had to work in the past and I did a whole bunch of different things and I figured out that it's not necessarily about being a hero for me, but about helping people. Doing something good." He gives Bakugo a wry smile. "I don't know yet, if I'll be a spotlight hero or go underground or rescue. Aizawa pointed out I could also go into quirk counselling or trauma units, depending on how my quirk develops. I haven't made a definite decision yet, but this course, this school, is where I want to be."

Bakugo lets out a long breath, deflating where he stands and something in his stance softens.

"Okay, then."

"You weren't trying to be an ass," Hitoshi mutters. "You were trying to figure out my motivation because you feared I was pushed into this."

Hitoshi thinks Bakugo might have gone a little bit red at that but surely that must be a trick of the light.

"Fuck off, zombie face," he snaps out and while Bakugo's nicknames usually make Hitoshi frown, now it only makes him smile.

"You do care, about all of us, don't you?" he asks and then laughs when Bakugo sputters and pushes him towards the door.

"Talk to anyone about this and I'll—"

"—explode me, yes I know," Hitoshi finishes for him but before he reaches the door he digs his heels into the ground, effectively bringing them to a stop. "Thank you. For trying to look out for me. Your strategy could use some work, but, you know, thanks."

"Whatever," Bakugo grumbles under his breath but the usual bite is missing from his voice and Hitoshi finds himself thinking that maybe he might even like Bakugo like this.

Now that he knows that he does care and isn't just an ass.

"Seriously, don't tell the others," Bakugo reminds him again when Hitoshi is back in the hallway and he smiles.

"Wouldn't want to ruin your image," he nods and then dodges backwards when Bakugo swats at him. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me," he then promises and gives Bakugo a little wave as he saunters away from him.

Bakugo yells something incomprehensible after him and Hitoshi knows that it would be so easy to spill this to his friends, but he also knows that he won't. Bakugo is trying to come off as a hardass and even though Hitoshi can't understand why he understands the need to keep up a persona.

Hitoshi himself is shedding his, now that he has a stable home, loving parents and friends, but maybe Bakugo isn't there yet.

He's surprised by himself, but he honestly can't wait to see the same happening to Bakugo and now that he knows what he's looking for, he sees his cool facade crumble already.

Hitoshi allows himself a smile, because he promised he wouldn't out Bakugo, so to speak, but they never said anything about not prodding at the already existing cracks and Hitoshi is looking forward to this.

His life really is everything he ever wished for now.

[moonlight0934]

Bellamy's First Family, Though Certainly Not His Last

Day 1: Bellamy + Home/Family

Bellamy’s first family, though definitely not his last. 

It’s been a long day, and all Bellamy wants to do is fall into bed, but one of the guards his mom has a relationship with is waiting for him when he gets out of school. 

“Your mom wants you to go to her office immediately. I’ll walk you there.” 

“I can get there on my own,” Bellamy responds, his shoulders hunching. 

“I’m supposed to walk you there, make sure that you don’t wander off, or take any detours.” 

“Fine.” 

The man grabs Bellamy’s shoulder, keeping his hand there the entire walk. Aurora is standing outside of the door when they get there. 

“Thank you for bringing Bellamy with you,” she says, giving the man a sly smile. 

Bellamy looks down, trying not to roll his eyes. After the man walks away, Bellamy turns to Aurora. 

“What’s with all of the theatrics, Mom?”

“I just wanted to make sure that you got home on time, and I was watching Octavia,” Aurora says, smiling at Bellamy. 

Bellamy smiles back, and grabs Bellamy’s hand. She opens the door to show the room covered in streamers. There are bright pink, blue, and green streamers with a little sign taped to the wall. It’s just a piece of paper with the words Happy Birthday Bellamy written on them. Octavia is standing in the middle of the room, grinning. Aurora pulls Bellamy in, closing the door behind them. Bellamy just looks between Aurora and Octavia with wide eyes. 

“What’s this?” 

“Well, I know you were sick for your birthday the other day, so we decided to decorate now that you’re feeling better,” Aurora says, rubbing up and down Bellamy’s arms comfortingly. 

Bellamy smiles as Octavia runs over to hug him. 

“Happy birthday, Bell.” 

“Thanks. Thanks, Mom. This is great. I didn’t even realize that I missed it.” 

“Well, you were pretty out of it,” Aurora replies, her smile fading just a bit. 

“Yeah, I know.” 

“I also got you a new book since I figured that was what you would want to do this afternoon.” Aurora holds out a battered paperback book, which Bellamy takes with a grin. 

“This is great. Do you want to read with me, O?” 

Octavia nods, still clinging to Bellamy’s arm. Bellamy sits down, and pulls Octavia into his lap. He opens the book, and after one last smile towards his mother, he starts reading out loud. That’s how they spend a lot of the afternoon, snuggled up together, reading. Aurora leaves for a bit, but comes back with food. 

“Come on, you two. You can keep reading more after dinner, but we have to eat.” 

Octavia stands up, and they both join Aurora at her desk. Aurora talks while they eat, telling them what she’s been working on. Bellamy happily listens to the sound of his mother’s voice, which is lighter than it has been in a while. It brings a smile to his face even once they’re done eating. 

“Ok, I have a few people I have to talk to, but you guys can stay here. It’s late, so Octavia, you should get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning, my darling. Also, happy late birthday, Bellamy. I love you.” 

“I love you too, Mom.” 

After Aurora leaves, Bellamy turns to Octavia. 

“Don’t read the rest of it without me.” 

“I won’t. In fact, I’m tired, so I think I’ll go ahead and get some sleep too.” 

Octavia grins, and they start getting ready for bed. Bellamy climbs into bed first, and Octavia climbs practically on top of him. She snuggles against his chest with a content sigh. Bellamy wraps an arm around her, closing his eyes.

[sunwarmed-ash]

WIP/Number game

@sweeteatercat back at it again with #9!

good choice, this is actually something I'm working on for @whump-kia 's Whump July event!

Day 1: 

Emergency First Aid: Self-done stitches / Alcohol as sanitizer / “It's just a scratch, I've had worse.”

TW:s Needle mention, open wounds,

“This is not a scratch Billy!”

“I’ve had worse...”

“That doesn’t give me any relief!”

“Well as long as you feel better…” Billy sasses.

Steve sighs loudly but it sounds tired, defeated. 

“I didn't mean it like that…”

Billy doesn't know why, but he cuts Harrington a break. Maybe it's because he’s too busy trying to keep his guts inside his body to have any remaining energy to fight.

“Yeah, I know you didn't Steve.”

It's quiet for two awkward moments. 

“What can I do?” Steve asks. 

“Hand me the sanitizer.”

Steve hands him the bottle, eyes desperate for more instructions.  

“Ahh!!” Billy hisses, because of all things to put on a deep, open, wound this wasn’t one of them, but he didn't have a whole lot of other options at his disposal. He just hopes the stinging stops soon. 

“Please,” Steve begs, “it’s killing me I can’t do more.”

Billy, despite the agony he’s feeling, chuckles, 

“Just can’t shake the Mother Hen persona can you Pretty Boy?”

“Shut up…” Steve flushes, but he’s not mad. 

“Come here?” Billy takes a chance. A fucking stupid chance really. 

“Yeah, where do you want me?” Steve asks unthinkingly, moving just inches from Billy’s face. 

Before Billy can convince himself out of it, he leans closer and brings their lips together. 

The kiss isn't longer than a peck and Steve’s cheeks are flushed bright red when Billy pulls back. 

“What- was that for?”

“You said you wanted to help,” Billy shrugs, pushing the floss-threaded needle through his skin. “Needed something else to focus on.” 

Steve’s still blushing, and Billy hopes that’s a very good sign and not a bad one. But honestly after the night he’s had he wasn’t banking on a happy ending.

[crabcanwrite]

Someone New

Part 1 | 2

Prompt: Angstpril Day 1: Forgotten

Words: 2.3k

Fandom: the hunger games

Ships: Katniss/Peeta/Reader

Warnings: Muzzled reader, trauma, accidents,

It was nearly an hour later when Katniss finally understood. She frowned and wrapped a coat from the closet around herself. “Oh… I’m sorry.

“It's fine—“ You couldn’t finish your sentence before she pulled you into a hug.

Upon wrapping your arms around her, you found several mats in her hair, which was in a disheveled braid. “Hey, it’s okay, KitKat.”

“What’s a KitKat?” She frowned at you. You frowned in response, “You know, I have no idea.”

A giggle escaped her before she clapped her hand over her mouth. You laughed back at her, ruffling her already messy hair. “I think I heard some really old lady say it.”

She continued to laugh, letting you keep your arms around her. Eventually her laughter faded, and a sad look surfaced. “Can I see Peeta? Sometime?”

“Yeah, alright.” You helped her to her feet. “We can try tomorrow.”

Katniss grinned and nodded; she let you walk her back to her bunk, keeping a hand on your arm.

~

The next day you walked into Peeta’s room, knocking on the open door, “Morning, baby.”

Peeta groaned in response, hiding his head under a pillow. You removed his pillow and mock kissed him, “Breakfast time.”

“It’s too early for you to be this cheerful.” He groaned. You pulled him out of bed and tossed him his clothes. “We’re gonna try something new today.”

“Ugh…what now?” He sighed, “It better not be another therapy.”

“Nope, come on, I’ll tell you after breakfast.” You took his hand and pulled him down to the cafeteria.

Peeta continued to grumble as you walked down the hall, before going silent and moving closer to you as you approached the cafeteria.

After getting your trays, you sat down next to him, squeezing his hand.

“Sleep well?” You started to eat, using the special utensils that they had to have made for you. The regular ones didn’t fit into your muzzle. 

He rolled his eyes. “No… I keep having nightmares..I don’t even know what they’re about. They make no sense.”

“What’re they about?” You frowned, squeezing his hand. He sighed and looked away, “her.”

“Katniss?”

He nodded and sighed again, pushing his food around on his plate. “She’s dead..but she’s always saying something, but I can’t understand it.”

"Then I’m in this room, and it’s dark, but there’s people all around me.” Peeta shuddered and squished himself against your side.

“And everybody’s saying things about me, bad things, and they’re all pulling at me.”

“…and then they break me apart, tearing up all my limbs.” He hid his face in your side and starts to cry. You could feel your heart breaking as you pulled him into your lap.

“Oh, Peeta.” You hugged him tightly. “It’s not real, baby; they can’t hurt you.”

“Why do I keep having this dream…?”

“I don’t know.” You squeezed him, running a hand through his hair. You forked up some of his food and brought it to his lips.

He ate reluctantly and only with much encouragement.

“ ‘m not hungry.” He mumbled after a bit. You nodded, mock kissing the top of his head. A small smile emerged on his face before he settled back into his sad expression.

You shoved the rest of your food in your mouth and helped Peeta back to his room. His arms were wrapped tight around you, making it hard to walk.

But you made it and helped him onto the bed. He handed you the book and settled in your lap, hiding his face in your chest.

You began to read, making it through several pages before he fell asleep.

The white hospital lighting only accentuated the scars littered across his body and his dangerously lean frame.

You let him sleep for almost an hour before leaving to go find Katniss.

“Katniss?” You asked as you walked into her room, remembering the way from the other night.

She was lying in bed, holding a pearl between her fingers. A half sniffle, half sob escaped her before she noticed you.

“Y/N!” She wiped at her eyes and put the pearl back in a drawer, nestled amongst many pieces of cloth.

“Hey, are you alright?” You sat down next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. 

“Mhm,” she nodded and leaned onto you. “I miss him…a lot.”

“Come on, you get to see him today.” You wiped her tears and held out a hand. She took it reluctantly and followed you to Peeta’s hospital room.

“Stay here for a sec, okay?”

“Okay.”

You slipped inside, seeing Peeta awake and playing with various knickknacks.

He looked up at you and grinned, reaching out for you. You hugged him tight. “Doing okay?”

He nodded. You grinned back at him. “Good, we’re gonna try something new now.”

His brows furrowed, and he backed away slightly, giving you a distrustful look. You sighed and shook your head. “No, baby, not like that.”

Several minutes of reassurance later, he finally sat back down and nodded when you asked if he was ready.

You still weren’t sure what the full extent of what happened to him was when he regressed in the Capitol. But you knew it was bad, very bad.

“Okay,” you mock kissed his forehead and walked back to the door, opening it. Katniss slowly walked inside, trying to appear smaller. “Hey, Peeta.”

He gave you an indignant glance before glaring at her. 

“Be nice, Peeta.” You took his hand. “Give it a try.”

He huffed but resumed playing with his knickknacks. You motioned Katniss over and nodded to her, “This is good.”

“It is?” She frowned. “Are you sure?”

“Well, he hasn’t tried to strangle you, so I’d say yes.” You sat down on the bed and patted the spot next to you.

She sat down slowly, smoothing her hands over her clothes.

“Can—“ she cut herself off, looking to you. You gave her a nod, and she continued, “..Can I play with you?”

Peeta jerked upright and stared at her for almost a minute before passing her a fork. She took it and attempted to play with him.

Though it was a difficult task without him talking. He eventually sighed and pointed to the book, open to a page near the beginning.

Katniss scanned the page quickly before beginning to act it out with the toys Peeta let her have. 

~

Several hours later, the two were laughing and playing. Peeta had even started speaking again, though only in short sentences.

They had made it through nearly half the book before Peeta started yawning again, and there was a knock at the door.

“Katniss?” Haymitch opened the door. “Prim says you should’ve been back an hour ago.”

“Oh,” she pouted but put down her knickknacks, which had grown from the fork to include a marble and an empty soap bottle. “Okay.”

“Does she have to go?” Peeta sniffled and looked at you, starting to cry.

You nodded, “Yeah, baby, and it’s almost bedtime.”

Katniss hugged him tightly before she left, startling Peeta and making him start crying. She left reluctantly, following Haymitch back to her room.

Peeta looked up at you and pouted, tears running down his face and dripping onto the blankets.

“Why can’t she stay? We were having fun!”

“Katniss has things to do, baby.” You ruffled his hair as he began to cry harder.

Loud sobs escaped him as you held him tight, rocking him back and forth.

“How about a nap, hm?” You moved him so he was lying down in your lap.

He huffed but nodded, handing you the book and giving you a pointed look. You laughed and started to read.

You made it through a couple of pages before Peeta was fast asleep. You dozed off not long after, resting your head on his.

~

By the time Peeta woke up, it was already dark, the hospital door having been locked.

You raised your head and looked around; the clock on the wall was glowing 8:17pm.

Peeta sat up straight, rubbing his head. “What…? What happened?”

“You fell asleep.”

“No, no, before that! Katniss was here!” His eyes widened, and he shook slightly. “We...we were playing together.”

“Yeah,” you murmured. He shook his head and grabbed onto the blankets.

“But she…she didn’t hurt me.” He looked at you, a frantic look in his eyes. “Why didn’t she hurt me!?”

“Maybe—“ you cut yourself off, wincing slightly. “Maybe she’s not dangerous?”

“But- but—“ he started to sob again, his breath coming in short bursts, “but she hurt them! She killed them! It’s her fault, right?”

You shook your head and reached out for him. “Baby, it’s the hijacking; it messed with your memories.”

“No! No!” He flinched away from you and scrambled off the bed, hiding himself in a corner. “That’s not it! Because- because if that’s it, then..”

You watched as he mumbled to himself, sobbing. You carefully stepped over to him, watching as his face turned red and his eyes bloodshot. You reached out and pressed your hand onto his arm.

“It’s okay, you’re okay.” You pulled him close in an unsuccessful attempt to comfort him.

“But…but..” He muttered into your clothes before looking up at you, “Then I don’t know what’s real anymore.”

You squeezed him tight. “I know, I know.”

“Are you real? Do you really love me?” He looked as if he was about to start sobbing again.

“Yeah, baby, I really do.” You leaned down to mock kiss him, running a hand through his hair.

“Promise?” He held out his pinky finger; you took it and nodded, “Promise.”

“What about Katniss?” He tensed as he said her name, continuing to shake slightly.

You nodded, “She loves you too, and she won’t hurt you.”

“Are you sure?”

“Very” You squeezed him again, letting him relax against you.

Soft whines echoed around the room as Peeta shut his eyes in an attempt to block out the world. Tears wet your shirt as he mumbled apologies.

“What are you—“ you paused, suddenly acutely aware of the wet spot on the front of his pants and the puddle in the corner where he was sitting. “Oh, sweetheart, it’s alright.”

He just started to sob again, continuing to apologize profusely. You rubbed his back before picking him up. “Let’s get you cleaned up, okay?”

He stayed silent but nodded, hiding against you.

You grabbed the pair of spare clothes you kept in his bedside cabinet and carried him into the bathroom.

Turning on the tap, you helped Peeta get undressed.

“It’s okay, baby, accidents happen.” You wiped his tears before helping him pull off his pants, which were stuck to his skin. You tossed them into the sink along with his shirt. 

“You’re not mad?” He wiped his eyes again, looking down at the floor.

“No, baby, no.” You leaned forward to ruffle his hair. “It was an accident; I’m not mad.”

“So… I’m not in trouble?” He whispered, tensing as if he was prepared to run.

“No! Not at all!” You pulled him into a hug, squeezing him tight. “Okay?”

He took his eyes off the door and gingerly wrapped his arms around you. “...Okay.”

It was nearly two hours before Peeta calmed down enough to go back to sleep.

You carried him back to bed. Washed, dried, and dressed. He lay down next to you and cuddled up to your side.

“Goodnight” You wrapped him in the blankets.

“Night” He mumbled back, shutting his eyes.

~

There was a knock on the door bright and early the next morning. Peeta groaned, and you sat up.

“I swear if it’s those doctors again.” Peeta mumbled into his pillow. You opened the door and saw Katniss in the doorway.

“Oh! Good morning, Kitkat.” You stepped aside to let her in. She blushed and looked away. “morning”

“Mmph, Katniss?” Peeta looked over at her, waving a bit.

She padded over to him, reaching a hand out before putting her hand down. He reached out and took it, tensing as he did.

She blinked for a second before tears welled up in her eyes, and she jumped onto him. Hugging him tightly.

“Ack! What the—?” Peeta startled before looking back at you. You laid down next to them, smirking.

“Well, aren’t you cute?”

“Sorry,” Katniss mumbled as she blushed furiously and climbed off of him. Peeta just blushed, his face a dark shade of red.

“Don’t be,” you laughed, ruffling her hair. “He was your boyfriend first.”

“Fake boyfriend,” she mumbled. 

“Suuure.”

“Anyways…” Katniss looked away. “I was talking to Coin, and I got this.”

She held out a key. Peeta took it and inspected it. “What is this even for?”

She sighed and grabbed it back, using it to unlock your muzzle, which fell to the floor with a clatter. You reached up to feel your face, eyes widening.

“Oh” You looked back at her and pulled her into a tight hug. “Thank you…so much.”

“It’s nothing; don’t worry about it.” She blushed harder, her face burning. You pulled back slightly, looking down at her lips. “May I?”

A nod. Then you were kissing her. Katniss’s palms were sweaty, and the blush from her face had spread to her neck and ears.

“Hey! How come she gets the first real kiss!?” Peeta demanded, sticking his face next to yours, and consequently, hers.

“Okay, okay,” you turned to kiss him. “Better?”

“Yes,” he leaned over to kiss Katniss before huffing and crossing his arms over his chest, “if either of you say anything, I’m biting.”

You and Katniss looked at each other before bursting out in laughter and tackling Peeta, smothering him in kisses.

“Okay! Okay!” He laughed, “You guys can stay.”

“Oh, we weren’t leaving,” you teased.

“Promise?” He held up both of his pinkies.

“Promise” Katniss locked her fingers around his, and you did the same. 

“Promise”

[saifyee]

Hurtcember 2024 || Day 1 - Collapse || @hurtcember

|| Nagito Komaeda centered | Nagito x Gundham JUST A LITTLE but tbh it can be interpreted as romantic or platonic !

Genre: drabble, hurt/comfort ?

CW/TW: Fever, Exhaustion, Self-Depreciation, Sleep Deprivation

Summary: Nagito over works himself too much and hadn't been taking proper care of himself. After getting a fever, he's taken to the infirmary.

A/N: I've never posted any of my work before, nor do I ever really finish anything, so this is pretty nerve wracking for me! This is my first time writing Danganronpa but my hyperfixation is too powerful for me to think of doing anything else at the moment. I'm also not great at tagging works, since I've never posted my writing, BUT I THINK I GOT IT DOWN DECENTLY ENOUGH 🤔

The dim ceiling lights felt harsher than normal as Nagito's feet dragged against the hard tile flooring. He covers his mouth with a hand covered sleeve as he yawns, not yet having shaken off the drowsiness from waking up a mere twenty minutes ago.

To be completely fair, he had hardly slept to begin with. If he was lucky, he got maybe just under three hours of sleep at the very most. Well.. He is lucky, allegedly, so that's the answer he's going to give if anyone were to ask.

Not like anyone would though.. Who cares about useless trash like him anyways?

The milky-haired man chuckles to himself at the thought before pushing it to the back of his mind, letting it rot there instead.

He rubs at his eyes in an attempt to shoo the tiredness from them yet upon pulling his fingers away, he's met with spots in his vision that weren't there previously. Surely this is nothing, right? He must've just rubbed his eyes a little too hard, it'll go away soon.

That's what he thought.

And yet.. The closer he got to his classroom, the worse his condition was getting. By the time he made it to the sliding door, he could hardly navigate where the handle was to open it.

Everything was blurred, black spots splattering across his vision as though someone had poured ink into his eyes. Despite the fact that they were now entering the colder months of the year, and there was always a chilly draft that made itself known throughout the building, a burning fire prickled at his skin.

With a shaky hand, he finally manages to slide the wooden door open. With the next step he takes, his foot doesn't catch his body.

He can hardly process what's happening, much too out of it to even attempt to save himself from meeting the cold hard tile.

Maybe I really overdid it this time..

That's his last thought as he surrenders, squeezing his eyes shut and waiting for the harsh impact that was sure to knock him out.

Except.. It didn't come.

"Nagito, are you okay?!"

"Did this guy pull an all-nighter or something?? The hell is wrong with him?"

"Are you idiots really that surprised that a ghostly creep like him is on the verge of death? I thought he would've died a longgggg time ago!"

"He is not dying! Do not be mean to our fellow classmate, Hiyoko!"

"Mikan, you're the Ultimate Nurse. Come here and help me with him."

The familiar voices boom from various places around the classroom, and yet Nagito can't point out a single one. With the little strength that he has, he cracks open his heavy eyes. Although the overhead lights of the classroom nearly blind his sensitive eyes, he's able to make out that the person in his sight was none other than Peko Pekoyama.

It was no surprise that she'd be able to get to him before he could fall to the floor. Why would she jump at the chance to help someone like him though? He doesn't deserve that type of kindness..

"R-Right!!" A timid voice cuts in, one that he can recognize to be Mikan's.

With gentle fingers, she's brushing the fluffy hair from Nagito's face before pressing the back of her hand to his forehead. It was so cold in comparison, he found it to be rather soothing.

"Well?"

"H-He has a fever! We need t-t-to get him to the infirmary r-right away," the nurse stutters out as she presses two fingers to his neck.

"I see.. Gundham, can you take him?"

Gundham? It's true that he's strong enough for the task but there's no way that he'd step anywhere close to Nagito..

"Why am I being entrusted to such a task? I cannot carry him, that is physically impossible for my flesh is poisoned. If I were to carry him, he would die in mere seconds," he replies, although nobody is convinced by those words.

"Boohoooo, stop being a pussyyyyy and carry him!! Nobody else wants his weirdo germs all over them!"

"I am no such thing! I am Gundham Tanaka, The Supreme Overlord of Ice! As a mere human, he will die if I carry him. I am simply stating facts."

"Gundham Tanaka, you will carry him. Mikan, go with them," Peko states, leaving no room for further argument.

"I-" Gundham pauses, sighing loud enough to ensure that everyone knows how much he dislikes this idea. "Fine, so be it. If you wish for this fragile human to die then I have no choice but to carry out this mission."

"Ooooooo, wowieeeee!! Are you gonna have to carry him bridal styleeee?" Ibuki butts in, her words as suggestive as they always are.

Heavy footsteps grow closer to Nagito, stopping once it sounds like they are right next to his head.

"What other choice do I have? It is clear that he has a curse in which makes him too weak for me to carry him any other way. If you take this the wrong way then I will kill you."

"Enough.. Here, take him. I trust that you won't drop him like a certain someone."

"Heyyyyy!! I wouldn't drop him! I'm really muscular, I'll have you know," Kazuichi responds, taking the jab to heart.

The arguing that follows is tuned out as Nagito drifts between the lines of consciousness, all of his remaining focus being on the arms that scoop up his shivering body.

It was.. Weird. He hasn't been held like this is years.. The body heat against his own was irritating but oddly comforting. Perhaps if his body wasn't overheating, he'd be able to enjoy this more.

"Having such a harmful curse on you is no laughing matter, human," a deep voice cuts through his daze.

Was he really laughing? He hadn't even noticed..

Although he wanted to give a proper reply, all he could muster up was incomprehensible mumbles. The feverish man then snuggles closer to the source of heat, drifting off to sleep in the tensed up arms that were holding him.

☆࿐ཽ༵༆༒ ◯ ༒༆࿐ཽ༵☆

Harsh lights greet Nagito as he struggles to open his eyes, which remain heavy even after having fallen asleep. He waits for them to adjust but the most the stormy orbs can manage is a foggy view.

A groan falls from his lips as he tries to sit up, much too weak to do so on his own. He felt hot all over and every muscle in his body was achy and sore.

His head presses back into the stiff pillow, cloudy eyes scanning whatever they could as he tries to figure out where he is. It doesn't take long, he's been here more times than he can count.

Oh, right. Gundham and Mikan had taken him to the infirmary.

"Oh!! Y-You're finally awake! Uhm.. How are you f-feeling?" Mikan approaches the side of the bed, her timid voice hushed so as to not overwhelm him.

The milky-haired man furrows his brows, really taking into consideration how he's actually feeling. "Mmm... I feel hot and tired.. And my body is achingggg," he mutters out, a lazy smile pulling at his chapped lips.

"That's normal f-for a fever! Uhm.. If you don't mind, I'm going t-to keep you here.. J-Just until your fever eases up! It's.. It's not safe for y-you to go home with these symptoms."

Not safe..? It's true that his condition is poor but surely he would be able to walk home just fine, right? He made it to school with little issues..

That's just my luck..

"Okay, that's fine by me. You're the Ultimate Nurse so you know best." Nagito's words come out more as strangled whispers but he can only assume that Mikan hears him based on pinks that cascade across her cheeks.

It's probably nice to have such a useful talent.. To be needed and depended on. He could only wish to have a talent that's half as amazing as hers.

Maybe in his next life he will be granted a talent that will spread hope to all in such a meaningful manner.. That's pretty doubtful but he can hope for an outcome like that.

While Mikan scrambles to piece together a response to the feverish man's compliment, the one who carried Nagito to the infirmary makes a reappearance. Although unintentional, he nearly scares the purple-haired girl to death.

"I am back from my mission.. Oh, the cursed one has finally awoken," he says, shifting his attention from Mikan to Nagito. "I have brought you a multitude of things that will aid in lifting the curse that has been placed upon your fragile body."

If Nagito had to guess what that meant, he could only assume that Gundham is referring to the food and drink that he had in his hands. From what his clouded eyes could make out, that's all that he could see..

"Do you mean the uhh-"

"Precisely. Now take this and allow it to combat your curse. If you do not, the curse will only continue to consume you until you are nothing but a lifeless corpse," he urges, sitting down in the chair beside the bed before putting the food and drink in Nagito's lap.

He doubts that it's that severe, especially given his luck, but he hasn't eaten since sometime last night so he supposes he should get something in his system.

"Thank you, Gundham. That's so kind of you," the white-haired man exhales. Although slowly, he's able to get his body up into a sitting position with the assistance of Mikan. "Thanks, Mikan. I.. Appreciate all that you're doing for someone like me."

"I-It's nothing!! I'm just doing my job, after all!" She waves her hands in front of her face, her pink cheeks flushing themselves a darker shade.

It's with shaky hands and a little struggle that Nagito is able to get something in his system. Gundham was right though, food alone had him feeling a little better. Fortunately enough, per Mikan's words after checking his temperature, it had managed to lessen a little bit.

This was a good sign, surely.

"Your energy is less tainted by fog now, human. It is not enough though, even though I had taken it upon myself to cast incantations on your food," Gundham comments, heterochromatic eyes darting around his figure as if to analyze him.

Nagito's eyebrows knit at the claim, sending a questioning look in Gundham's direction. "Incantations, you say? Then surely I'll get better in no time. I'm already doing a lot better, thanks to you and Mikan."

"No! It is not enough. A human such as yourself would not understand the things that I can see.. That alone is not going to stop this curse," he replies with confidence, although his expression shows that of a conflict. After a moment of silence, he reaches out his hands. "Grant me your hands. I must do all that is necessary to lift this curse."

"Oh uhm.. Alright then, whatever you say! You're the uhh.. Supreme Overlord of Ice so I trust your judgement," Nagito replies, obediently reaching his hands out for the other man to take them into his own.

He doesn't know if it's his fever making him delusional or if his sight is being kind to him, but he could see the other man's cheeks starting to turn a soft shade of pink. Did Gundham like it when people played along with his act?

Did Gundham even think it was an act..? Probably not. Well it's not like Nagito is going to rain on his parade.

The other man hums lowly as he encases Nagito's hands with his own, his eyes closing in concentration. After a few moments of quiet, he exhales a long breath. "Mmm, yes, I see.. This is very unfortunate."

"Uhm-"

"Patience, cursed one! You will speak when I allow you to."

Nagito couldn't find it in himself to retort or question him, so he keeps his mouth shut for now.

"It.. Would appear that you have multiple curses casted upon this body of yours. This one can be removed. As for the other one, there is nothing even I can do about that."

Nagito's eyes widen at the statement, lips parted in a silent gasp. A curse that can't be removed? Although he wanted to boil all of this down to being part of the character that Gundham plays, he doesn't know if that's something he can do anymore after hearing that.

A curse that can't be removed..

It's too familiar.

Gundham's eyes snap open, an intense gaze meeting Nagito's own. "You have been living with this one for a very long time. I can only assume that you were born with it."

Before Nagito could even think, words were spilling past his parted lips. "That's right. Isn't that pathetic? The Ultimate Lucky Student being born with a curse that's irreversible. Being lucky in itself is a curse if it's anything like my luck." Although the words are sour leaving his mouth, the faint smile on his lips contradicts them.

Gundham's lips flatten into a straight line, conflict flickering behind his eyes. It's not often that he gets stumped like this.. Nagito's words must have had some type of an effect on him.

The other man's eyes fall downward, breaking the intense eye contact that they had been sharing. Warmth spreads across Nagito's knuckles as a thumb brushes over them, gentle in comparison to what people would expect from Gundham.

"I do not believe for that to be pathetic. You, a mere human, were born with such a terrible curse and yet here you lie, alive and fighting. You are quite strong, on the contrary to what your beliefs about your own being are," Gundham eventually answers, his voice holding a much softer tone than what Nagito is accustomed to.

"Thank you.. I'm not deserving of such kindness," Nagito breathes out, this time giving the other man a genuine smile.

"It is simply the truth, nothing more. Now, lie down. There is still a task at hand that I must complete. I do not wish for this curse to grow stronger once again." Gundham changes the topic, pulling his hands away from Nagito's and letting them drop on the bed.

"Haha, right! I nearly forgot about the other one until you said something." Nagito shifts himself slowly on the bed until he's lying back down, exhaustion traveling up his spine the moment he's flat against the mattress.

Gundham hums in reply, bringing both of his hands out to hover them over the white-haired male's form. "Close your eyes and do not open them until I tell you to. I do not see this taking awhile but your body is a stubborn one.."

Nagito can definitely believe that.. His body is anything but obedient. He does as told and allows his eyes to flutter closed, his eyelids feeling much too heavy for him to even think about opening them again during Gundham's ministrations.

A minute at most passes by of utter silence, the only noises to be heard being the sounds of breathing and fabric rubbing against each other as Gundham does what he deems necessary. Although this wasn't part of the instructions that were given to him, Nagito finds himself drifting off to sleep, much too exhausted to fight it off.